Big Walk countdown begins
THE COUNTDOWN to the Cape Town Big Walk (CTBW), the city’s biggest walking event, has begun.
The March 18 walk features two distances, a 5km route and a more popular 10km route. The event is expected to draw a crowd of roughly 20 000 people.
It will start at the Cape Town Stadium forecourt and the scenic will wind its way along the Sea Point Promenade and finish inside the Green Point Track.
“We have come a long way with this event and the main thing that we should keep in mind are the beneficiaries of this cause. We want to make this event even bigger to be able to sponsor more beneficiaries,” CTBW chairperson Dawood Esack said yesterday.
He was speaking at the media launch for the walk at the Table Mountain cableway.
Beneficiaries of this highly popular walk include the Red Cross Children’s Hospital Trust, Academia Library and Resource Centre in Lansdowne, and
the Manenberg People’s Centre.
With the City facing a water crisis, no water will be distributed along the route. Participants will receive their own water bottles in goodie bags along with other sponsored items.
Nicole Lincoln from Red Cross Children’s Hospital said they were very grateful to be a beneficiary.
“After an 18-year partnership, we’ve received just over R2 million, which has been benefiting ICU, radiology and burns wards. This year’s contributions will go directly to the oncology ward,” she said.
Ryan van Wyk from Wholesome Bread, the main sponsor of this year’s event, said the company wanted to help make big changes to the lives of those who would benefit from the walk.
Other big sponsors include Jive Cooldrinks, now in its 13th year of being part of the walk.
Aziz Hartley, editor of the Cape Argus, the main media partner, said the walk deserved to be put on a bigger scale.
It resonated with what the paper stood for, bringing people together, he said.
CTBW entry forms will be published in the paper from Monday.
“This can be the biggest public walking event in the country,” Hartley said.
Mayco member for social services JP Smith said the City sponsored the walk to the tune of R100 000 in the form of services.
“We will look into investing more into this event in the future as we can see that it has the ability to bring the people of Cape Town closer together, which is the ultimate goal,” he said.
At yesterday’s launch, walk ambassador Malikah Hamza, 13, said: “It all starts with one step. Cape Town Big Walk can be that step for you.”