SYLVIA KENT'S READING & WRITING FORUM: MEET SOME OF OUR NEW FRIENDS SUPPORTING OUR FUN WALK TEAM IN BILLERICAY

Essex Fun Walk Gives Boost to Local Charities

The Fun Walk Trustees had the pleasure of visiting the BCCS offices in Billericay last week following an invitation from Community Engagement Officer Damian Dillon, to see how the funding provided by the Fun Walk Trust is being used. The trustees were delighted to meet with the BCCS team and to be shown around their wonderful facilities being used to support Essex children.

Damian Dillon said:

“BCCS is committed to supporting a future where children and young people have a voice that is heard, enabling them to access the best possible mental health support. In recognition of our 40th anniversary this year, we will be holding a number of walks during the summer months in support of children’s mental health. The Fun Walk Trust has helped us boost our fundraising by means of their generous Bonus pot, and has been an important source of funding for us over the last 8+ years.”

Special Needs and Parents (SNAP), is a local charity that has also been part of the Fun Walk for nearly a decade. Fiona Townsend, Fundraising Officer for SNAP said:

“Support from the Fun Walk Bonus Pot helps us continue to be there for more than 4,000 Essex Families. Thanks to the Fun Walk Team and the companies that generously contribute, families can continue to rely on a variety of therapeutic and developmental sessions for children and young people with an additional need or disability. We are looking forward to this year’s event and we hope to encourage even more of our supporters to get involved.”

The Fun Walk invites Essex charities or local community groups to register for the September Fun Walk, to raise money for their projects. The sponsored walks can happen anytime during September and at any location chosen by the charity or community group.

John Baron, Chair of Trustees, said:

“Like BCCS and SNAP, many charities and good causes are not just benefitting from raising funding through their own sponsorship efforts, but also from The Fun Walk Trust’s Bonus Pot which last year topped-up sponsorship monies by 40%. Each year local businesses and individuals donate into the Bonus Pot and this year, so far, they include Greater Anglia, Brown & Carroll, Butyl Products Group, Tunnelcraft, IFE Global Logistics, Swan Housing Group, RIS Group, Mr Barrie Stone and others.”

For more information, please visit the Fun Walk website: www.thefunwalktrust.co.uk.

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Notes to Editors

About the Fun Walk:

John Baron and his team started the Fun Walk in 2002 to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and raised £6,000 for six charities and projects. The event became an annual one and continues to grow.

To assist with its growth, in 2013 the Fun Walk became a registered Charity and it is now officially known as The Fun Walk Trust (Registered Charity number: 1151626). In 2019 Basildon Billericay and Wickford CVS was appointed to administer the event on behalf of the Trustees.

John continues his role with the charity as Chair of the Trustees and by soliciting support and sponsorship from local businesses. The BONUS POT is a unique feature of the event, into which local businesses and individuals kindly donate and which is then distributed to participating organisations on a pro rata basis in addition to the monies they themselves raise in sponsorship.

The 2023 event raised over £85,00 for local charities and community groups, and brought the total money raised since the Fun Walk’s inception to £1,535,000.

The Fun Walk Trust organises the walk and takes care of the paperwork, leaving the projects free to focus on raising sponsorship money and enjoying the event. The event is not confined to charities: any good cause or project may join us once approved by the Trust. For example, many pre-schools and schools, churches and community groups now regularly participate.

In 2020, given the challenges presented by COVID-19 and the recognition that our local charities and good causes needed our help more than ever, the decision was made to switch to a virtual format, allowing supporters to walk the distance anytime during the selected month. This proved to be very successful and will be continued for the foreseeable future.