 RSS news feed | Communicatormentalhealth.org | Contributors
More towns sign–up for Walkers are Welcome status
 The Ramblers’ Association welcomes the spread of the ‘Walkers are Welcome’ initiative, with three more towns across Britain now admitted to the ranks of communities with the Walkers are Welcome accolade. The first village will be awarded the status shortly.
Church Stretton in the Shropshire Hills, Market Weighton in East Yorkshire and Kilsyth, at the foot of Scotland’s Kilsyth Hills, have become Walkers are Welcome towns. They join the four original Walkers are Welcome towns, west Yorkshire’s Hebden Bridge, Prestatyn in north Wales, Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway, and Mytholmroyd, also in west Yorkshire.
The small north Wales community of Pentrefoelas, east of Betws–y–Coed, is also working for the status to be Britain’s first Walkers are Welcome village. It is currently planning a launch event for June. Other communities actively working to become Walkers are Welcome centres include Otley, Ross–on–Wye, Bishop’s Castle, Penmaenmawr and Malvern.
“Walkers are Welcome towns and villages are places which have something special to offer walkers,” explains Malcolm Wilkinson, chair of the Walkers are Welcome Towns Network which oversees the scheme. “Obtaining Walkers are Welcome status helps strengthen a town's reputation as a place for visitors to come to enjoy the outdoors, bringing benefits to the local economy. It helps to ensure that footpaths and facilities for walkers are maintained in good condition, benefiting local people as well as visitors.”
The Walkers are Welcome status, supported by the Ramblers’ Association as a model scheme to promote walking, was first developed last year in the Yorkshire Pennine community of Hebden Bridge, where the six criteria which towns and villages are required to meet were first developed. These include community support for the idea, work to improve walkers’ facilities and promotion where possible of walking using public transport.
The Walkers are Welcome concept links directly to rural and market town regeneration concerns, to the Government’s walking for health agenda, and to the promotion of green tourism. “It also reminds walkers that Britain has beautiful countryside – you don’t need to make for the tourism honeypots to find some great walking country,” Malcolm Wilkinson adds.
For further information and details of local Walkers are Welcome contacts telephone Malcolm Wilkinson on: 01745–888137, or Andrew Bibby on: 01422–844026. Visit website: www.walkersarewelcome.org.uk.
Infolink: To find out more about the RA or, to join your local group, telephone: 020 7339 8500 or, visit website: www.ramblers.org.uk.
From your browser | Email the page | Email the page link | Print the page | Add page to favourites
BACK TO CONTRIBUTORS MENU
Handy guide to wellbeing series | For you, family and friends
|
