The aim of the festival is to provide a nationwide selection of walks between Christmas and New Year which appeal to non-members as much as members. The festival is part of the Ramblers’ commitment to promote walking and we would particularly encourage Areas and Groups to see this as a real recruitment opportunity.
Themed walks are the single best way to promote our walks to the public; they are interesting, people-friendly, and the media like to cover them. Apart from listing basic information (date, starting point, time, length etc.) it is very important to describe your walks in the most appealing way you can.
How to take part
All walks need to be submitted by 30th September 2009 but sooner if possible. There are two ways to submit your walks:
- Group Walks Finder – add your Festival walks to the Group Walks Finder. All walks listed on the Walks Finder between 26 Dec 09 and 3 Jan 10 will automatically be classified as Festival walks.
- By post – please fill in the form , post it to us and we will list your walks online on your behalf.
Publicity materials
You can order Festival poster blanks (A4), A5 flyers and 20% discount forms here. Please ensure all walks leaders have a supply – it’s a great incentive for newcomers to join the Ramblers after attending a festival walk.
Free Nature Valley cereal bars
Festival is once again sponsored by Nature Valley, snack bars' producer, and we will have free Nature Valley Trail Mix bars available to hand out on festival walks. You can order your snack bars here - each box contains 18 snack bars (please include your name, address, Group name, number of boxes you require). Bars will be distributed at the end of November 09 in time for the festival walks.
We sampled similar products on selected walks last year and they proved to be very popular with participants.
Publicising your walks
We’ll promote all festival walks on our website www.ramblers.org.uk/winterwalks. This is one of the most important ways we can spread the word about the festival. Many members of the public will visit the site to get information about walks local to them.
Ramblers’ Press Office will be sending press releases to all national and regional papers and magazines. You may also want to send your own local press release with details of festival walks in your area (for help on how to do this, or to be sent a sample press release, please contact our Press Office – ruth.somerville@ramblers.org.uk
If your Area/Group has its own website, we would really appreciate it if the festival could be promoted on your home page with a direct link to www.ramblers.org.uk/winterwalks. The festival logo and sample text are available on request. This information can also be included in your local newsletters and walks programmes.
For further information please contact: Mariusz Wilczynski – mariusz.wilczynski@ramblers.org.uk / 020 7339 8536
