Major fundraiser cancelled again
THE annual Staffordshire Moorlands walk for Christian Aid will not go ahead next month.
The walk was planned to take place on March 20 at Tittesworth Water, in Meerbrook.
The news comes after last year’s event was cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The event attracts hundreds of people who take part in the annual walk, which can be a choice of either two or five miles.
The walk, which is one of the most successful Christian Aid events, regularly makes £50,000 each year, and just two years ago hit the £1 million fundraising mark.
Despite last year’s cancellation, many people did their own sponsored walk in their own surroundings, and donations received totalled more than £24,000.
Now walkers are being asked to do their own walks again this year.
Organiser John Bamford said: “It is very sad that we had to cancel our 30th annual walk last year.
“Now we have been forced to cancel the 2021 walk.
“Tittesworth Water have said that a lot of people are attending the site during the present time, and that having more external activities would bring in hundreds more people to the site.
“Due to the tremendous support, more than £24,000 was still raised for Christian Aid from people doing their own walks last year.
“Now we are asking people to do the same this year. They can choose their own date and route.
“We will send out sponsorship forms and people can send in the money at their convenience.
“We hope to be back at Tittesworth Water in 2022.”
The walk was started in 1991 at Trentham Gardens, but 20 years ago was moved to Tittesworth Reservoir.
The first event raised £4,600. This kept increasing each year until it reached its maximum figure in 2009 of £53,386.
■ For more information, contact John Bamford on 01782 516137.