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Making your town or village a place where
WALKERS ARE WELCOME! Walkers are Welcome towns and villages are places which have something special to offer walkers.
Obtaining Walkers are Welcome status, as a growing number of communities across Britain are doing, brings a number of benefits. It helps strengthen a town's reputation as a place for visitors to come to enjoy the outdoors, bringing useful 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. It can contribute to local tourism plans and regeneration strategies.
It also allows communities to benefit from the regular networking opportunities with other Walkers are Welcome towns, when experiences are shared informally and new ideas discussed.
The Walkers are Welcome scheme is different from most top-down accreditation schemes, in that it has emerged from, and is being promoted by, communities themselves. The idea, which was first discussed in 2006, became a reality when the Pennine town of Hebden Bridge became the first Walkers are Welcome town in Spring 2007, closely followed by Moffat in Scotland 's Dumfries and Galloway region and by the north Wales community of Prestatyn & Meliden. More than a dozen other communities now either have Walkers are Welcome status or are actively working to meet the criteria.
To become a Walkers are Welcome town involves meeting six criteria. Details are on this website.
The following towns currently have Walkers are Welcome status:
- Hebden Bridge, in West Yorkshire
- Moffat, in the Scottish region of Dumfries and Galloway
- Prestatyn & Meliden, on the North Wales coast
- Mytholmroyd, in West Yorkshire
- Church Stretton, Shropshire (formal launch took place on June 4th; press release here)
- Market Weighton, E Yorks (status awarded March 20th)
- Kilsyth (status awarded April 10th)
- Pentrefoelas (launch took place June 20th 2008)
The following towns are working towards Walkers are Welcome status:
- Great Malvern - WaW launch provisionally September 13/14
- Todmorden, West Yorkshire - local petition now launched
- Bishop's Castle, Shropshire - launch scheduled for July 17th
- Talgarth, Powys
- Teesdale (including Barnard Castle & Middleton-in-Teesdale), Co Durham - actively progressing
- Penmaenmawr, Conwy - WaW launch planned Sep 2008
- Otley, West Yorkshire - WaW launch planned Sep 28th 2008
- Llanrwst (Conwy)
- Ross-on-Wye
- Cilgerran, Ceredigion
We are also aware of a number of other towns and villages across Britain where the idea is receiving active consideration.
Walkers are Welcome towns have jointly established the Walkers are Welcome Towns Network. (Constitution available here)
There are four easy steps to becoming a Walkers are Welcome town or village.
1. Establish a steering group to oversee the project. This can be an existing community group (for example, a walkers’ group or local business association), or an ad-hoc group brought together specifically for the purpose.
2. Inform us of your plans and apply for associate membership of the Network, by returning the enclosed on-line form. Membership costs £20 a year.
3. Work in your community to meet the six criteria.
4. When you feel you have met the criteria, let us know again. The Walkers are Welcome Towns Network committee will assess your application, and all being well will be delighted to award you Walkers are Welcome status and you will be able to use the official logo on your local marketing material.
You may also find these downloadable fact sheets helpful:
Walkers are Welcome window stickers are available to communities which have WaW status. At present, small numbers may be available without charge - please enquire. Standard prices are as follows.
100 self adhesive stickers: £30 + £3 postage; 50: £18 + £2; 25: £10 + £1.50.
Any more questions? Contact us.
Information for WaW Towns Network committee members: click here.
IMPORTANT: WEBSITE PROBLEM
It has been brought to our attention that for technical reasons the on-line form for expressions of interest did not work for a period of time in 2007. If you submitted this form and wondered why you didn't get a reply, this is the reason! Please recontact us urgently.
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