Local pubs will be getting involved during the festival, offering live music, family fun and entertainment, while there will be themed guided walks to join, including a Photography Walk, a Medieval History Walk and a Sunrise Walk.
The idea for Walk Tonbridge came to local resident, James Pavlou, during the first lockdown in March 2020.
“My holiday plans were cancelled and I found myself digging out an old OS map and plotting new adventures that began from my front door,” explains James. “Despite living in and around Tonbridge most of my life, there were places on the map, such as quirkily named woods and farms that I had never heard of, yet were so close to home.”
James rambled for miles and, having got to know some of the walks well, decided to share them with other Tonbridge residents via the Walk Tonbridge website. There are currently 22 walks, with names such as Park Life, The Pillbox Safari and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, some of which are accessible.
Each walk is graded as to how challenging it is and they are also themed as ‘good for’ history or views for instance.
During lockdown, CooperBurnett Partner and Tonbridge resident Victoria Sampson started to take her family on some of the walks.
“Like James, I’ve lived here a while, and now realise that I really hadn’t appreciated what Tonbridge had to offer at all,” she said. “As a family, we have discovered so much about our town, its views and its history. While James’ initiative encouraged people to get out walking, it went so much further, uniting family, mobilising Tonbridge and emphasising the strength of our community.”
Joseph Oates, Partner and fellow walker adds: “We are absolutely thrilled to be supporting the Walk Tonbridge Festival and, as a team, we are looking forward to taking part in the walking marathon. We hope to be joined by other local businesses, but will they keep up with #TeamCB though, that’s the question!”
The walking marathon, which will include segments from eight of the established walks as well as a number of local pubs as check points, begins at Tonbridge Baptist Church and finishes at Tonbridge Castle.
The event is raising money for Sustain, a community food bank run by Tonbridge Baptist Church which provides emergency food supplies to local people experiencing a short-term need. All the food items are donated by individuals or local groups and distributed to recipients referred by front line care agencies.
“We are grateful to CooperBurnett for supporting the Walk Tonbridge Festival and particularly for getting behind the walking marathon event,” says James Pavlou. “We are so proud of how Walk Tonbridge has united our town over the past 18 months and look forward to a celebration of walking and community in September.”
For more information about the Walk Tonbridge Festival, visit: https://www.walktonbridge.co.uk/walktonbridgefestival
