7 mile circular sponsored walk on Sunday 29th December 2013 starting anytime between 11 am to 1 pm
Purpose of Event: Those who already support Bethany Children’s home in Tanzania will know that we are presently building a school ( classroom by classroom) and hope to register it in July next year. It will provide Education for our children (over 100) + help with the children from the surrounding villages. The money raised from this event will go directly to providing for the school. Seven Bethany girls are already training to be teachers sponsored by Blackburn College. Click here for photos
The Route: Starting from Junction 7 Business Park car park Clayton-le-Moors (Blackburn Rd, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 5JW) the walk will follow the canal footpath from Clayton-le-Moors canal bridge through Church and Oswaldtwistle towards Rishton, leaving the footpath at bridge no. 108 (Tottleworth) and following the footpath along the disused railway line from Rishton to Great Harwood. Leaving Great Harwood at Barons Way, down the hill - up the other side along Lower Barnes Street (Clayton) - by Mercer Park towards All Saints Church - past All Saints Primary school - to the end of the road - turn left - turn right at the canal which will bring you back to the Canal Bridge you started from - leave the canal turn right back to Junction 7 car park. There will be stewards and numerous sign boards along the route to make sure you don’t get lost! Full details here.
Registration: Cost £5 per walker. Whilst registration should be made in advance (for insurance purposes and to indicate the numbers we will need to cater for etc.) payment for registration will be taken on the day of the walk (in cash please) and a walker authorisation ticket given + map and directions for the walk. We will be at Junction 7 car park from 10am. Click here for a registration form.
Certificate of completion: All walkers who complete the walk will be issued with a completion certificate back at Junction 7 car park.
Sponsorship: Forms are available here. In addition to the old fashioned way, why not register a fundraising page with ‘Virgin Money giving’ which allows you to E-mail everyone you know telling them about the walk. Click here to go directly to the Bethany event page
Car parking - Toilets: Free car parking at Junction 7 Business park (just pull up at the barrier and tell them you have come for the Bethany Walk). There are toilets at Junction 7 gatehouse and at various public houses along the walk.
Terrain: About three quarters of the walk is on the canal footpaths so the going is good other than the odd place that could be muddy if we have had a great deal of rain. Other footpaths are purpose made footpaths usually made up of a gravel surface. A small part of the walk is along roadside pavements. There are no fields to walk through or areas that would be overly muddy and only one short steep climb.
Weather: We are hoping for a good sunny winters day with the odd flake of snow and perhaps a frozen over canal. However, this might not happen and it could be pouring down with that freezing cold wet stuff called rain. We leave it up to individual walkers to decide whether the conditions are suitable for walking but we the organisers will be there whatever the weather. Sunset is at 4 pm on the 29th December so it could be going dark for children or slower walkers before they finish the walk - something to bear in mind. Remember you can start your walk anytime between 10 am and 1 pm.
Insurance - Stewarding: We have arranged Public Liability Insurance to cover the event, click here to see the policy and here to see the wording (please check to see if you feel the cover is sufficient for your needs). We will have over 12 stewards at the event and two will remain at the car park to look after people’s cars. Other stewards will be strategically positioned at various locations around the walk. (If numbers pass 250 we will increase the Insurance.)
Advertising - promoting the walk: We will be sending out flyers together with our biannual newsletters but we know that the success of the event depends on the enthusiasm of loyal supporters who will be instrumental in encouraging others to take part and of course sponsor others. Therefore we have designed posters and flyers that can be downloaded. For posters click here. For flyers click here We have printed 5,000 flyers so if your organisation needs a quantity of these please E-mail (graham@pountain.net) me. Interestingly 25% of the money raised on our last sponsored walk (Morecambe Bay Walk) was raised by school children!
For Schools, Scouts, Guides and other children’s organisations: If you are interested in joining the walk we would be happy to have a risk assessment undertaken to satisfy your requirements.
Expenses for the walk: All the expenses for the walk (postage, stationery, insurance etc. ) are being met from private donations so that all the money raised including the registration fee will go towards building the school.
Terms and Conditions: Click here for details
Raising Funds for other charities: We would very much like to have walkers raising funds for other charities but unfortunately our Insurance does not cover us for this.
Acknowledgments: We are grateful to Michael Donnelly from Junction 7 Business Park for allowing the use of the car park and toilet facilities - without his help we could not hold the event. We would also like to thank the Rotary club of Church and Oswaldtwistle for helping with advice etc as the walk follows (very closely) the course of their annual walk held to support various charities in May each year.
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