Hello and welcome to the Kids Alive! 140 challenge!

This year, Kids Alive!, the UKs only Christian weekly comic, celebrates its 140th birthday.

Instead of a giant cake and presents (blowing out the candles would take for ever!) our biggest wish is that kids from across the UK get involved in a challenge to raise money for corps. The idea is that you ask people to sponsor you to do 140 things and/or try to raise £140.

Starting on 10 July and running until our anniversary issue on 21 August, there will be themed weeks to inspire you with ideas on how to get involved. There are 6 categories in the challenge:

Show us your sporty skills

Cool Creativity

Love of Learning

Environmental Enthusiasm

Awesome Acts of Kindness

Your own Ingenious Idea

When you take part, you can specify that the funds you raise go to your local corps. Or the money you raise can go to your favourite Salvation Army project. So you can get to see the benefit of all your super sponsorship efforts. How cool is that?

Or the money you raise can go to your favourite Salvation Army project.

Best of all, the top fundraiser in each category will each win a £20 voucher for The Entertainer!

Doing 140 activities and/or raising £140 may seem a little scary but remember that you have the whole summer to do them. You can also take on a group challenge with your friends at school or at church.

Or you could do things in multiples of 14 if that seems more achievable. It's mainly about having fun and raising what you can. Get your parents, grandparents, carers or children's workers to help you.

Here are a few ideas:

· Bake 140 cakes

· Draw 140 pictures

· Do 140 keepy-uppies

· 140 dance steps/musical scales

· Skip 140 times

· Swim 140 laps of a pool

· Donate 140 items to a Salvation Army foodbank

· Water your family's flowers 140 times

· Learn and name the capitals of 140 countries

· Pick up 140 pieces of litter

We're sure you can come up with even better ideas. Go ahead and make up your own!

Click the start fundraising tab to set up your JustGiving page so people can sponsor you. Or look out for further fundraising inspiration in upcoming issues of Kids Alive!.

We'd love to see your fundraising efforts! Why not get your parents/carers to send your videos to challenge@salvationarmy.org.uk

Click here for the Fundraising Tc & Cs