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25 years of walking together: The Fun Walk Trust celebrates a quarter century of supporting Essex good causes

 The Trustees are thrilled by the fantastic community response.

A landmark 25th walk saw thousands of supporters come together across Essex, continuing a fundraising journey that has raised more than £1.75 million for local charities and community groups. There was something special about this year’s Fun Walk as families, volunteers and supporters across Essex came together to participate in this year’s Fun Walk and to celebrate 25 years of walking for good causes.

 From its humble beginnings in 2002, when John Baron and his team established the walk to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and raised £6,000 for six local charities, the event has grown into one of Essex’s much-loved community fundraising initiatives. With the 2025 Fun Walk bringing the total raised to more than £1.75 million for a wide range of local charities and community organisations across Essex and beyond. And it continues to grow. The 2026 Fun Walk brought together around 80 charities, community groups and good causes, all united by the same simple idea: enjoy a walk together in September, raise money and make a difference.

 This year’s walk once again saw families and friends form teams, community groups rally their supporters, and charity fundraisers proudly wear their colours. And behind every walk was a personal story and a good cause that mattered.

 One of the event's most distinctive features is the Bonus Pot, supported by generous local businesses and individuals. Donations to the Bonus Pot are distributed among participating organisations on a pro-rata basis, depending on and in addition to the sponsorship money they raise themselves.

 In 2025, the Bonus Pot provided a 35% uplift for each participating organisation, helping them to raise more than £121,000 in total – a record amount. For the 2026 Fun Walk, the Bonus Pot reached £35,000 ahead of the September walks – once again demonstrating the generosity of the local business community and individuals. 

While the September walks may be complete, the 25th anniversary celebrations are not over. Attention now turns to the Fun Walk's forthcoming Celebration Evening, when participating organisations and sponsors will come together to celebrate the achievements of the past year. The evening will also provide an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary contribution made by everyone who has supported the Fun Walk over its 25-year history. A major highlight will be the announcement of the 2026 Bonus Pot uplift each participating organisation will receive and the total monies raised. 

John Baron, chairman of The Fun Walk Trustees, said:

“To reach the 25th Fun Walk is a great achievement, and all can be very proud of what the community has created together. When we started the Fun Walk in 2002, we did not imagine that a simple sponsored walk would by 2025 go on to raise more than £1.75 million for local charities and good causes. However, the real success of the Fun Walk is not measured only by the monies raised. It is the people who take part, the causes they support and the sense of community that the event creates each year.”

 “My thanks go to every walker, charity, community group, supporter, sponsor and volunteer who has played a part in our journey – including our trustees Sandra Bastow, Christine Brewster, Sylvia Kent, and Professor Michael Almond. We also thank those who have supported the 2026 Bonus Pot, including Brown & Carroll (London), Sanctuary Housing Association, One Footstep, Tunnelcraft Ltd, Butyl Products Group, c2c Railway Ltd, Equi Ltd, Barrie and Marilyn Stone, and others.”

 “We look forward to bringing everyone together at our forthcoming Celebration Evening to recognise what has been achieved.”

 More details can be found on the Fun Walk Trust website:  www.thefunwalktrust.co.uk