NEWS RELEASE
Britain’s walking charity is changing its image to reflect the breadth and variety of its current activities. A rise in membership from the under 40s and a greater range of walks has called for a more up-to-date image for the 74 year old organisation.
Today, after 20 years of service, its logo of rolling green hills is being put out to pasture. It will be replaced by a cutting-edge new logo. The organisation is also changing its name to the Ramblers, dropping the word ‘Association’. In Scotland it will use the name Ramblers Scotland.
Underlying the rebranding, is a new direction and ambition for the Ramblers, including new initiatives and campaigns aimed at making walking accessible to people of all abilities and backgrounds. This means all sorts of people doing all sorts of walking in all sorts of places.
Ramblers Scotland is developing its work of getting more people to build walking into their everyday lives. Central to this is an ambitious plan to promote walking in the lead up to, and beyond, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The first stage in this plan – ‘Walk Homecoming 2009’ will be launched in Perth on the 4th of March. This project will promote ‘medal’ walking routes, to suit all levels of fitness, identified as bronze, silver and gold routes, across all parts of Scotland.
Dennis Canavan, Ramblers Scotland President, said: “Walking is one of the greenest, cheapest, and healthiest activities you can do. It has given me enormous pleasure throughout my life. As Britain’s largest walking charity the Ramblers welcome all, both young and old, to enjoy our towns and countryside. Our rebranding is a vital step to encourage everyone to appreciate the value of walking as an essential ingredient in a modern lifestyle.
He continues: “With this modern rebranding, the Ramblers is taking a fundamental step towards putting walking as a means of transport, exercise, leisure and pleasure at the heart of people’s lives, at a time when it is very much needed.”
Dave Morris, Ramblers Scotland Director, said: “Our new image emphasises that we are working for walkers from the centre of the city to the top of a remote mountain. We need to galvanise the whole population, from the politicians sitting in Holyrood to the youngsters peering at their computers – we want as many as possible to get up and take a walk in the fresh air - it’s the best way to keep fit and deal with all the stresses which come our way,day by day.”
He added: “Our Walk the Path to 2014 plan is about making a real difference to people’s lives. I’m also sure that our rebrand will give us a renewed sense of confidence to make walking an activity for the masses again. Walking was a way of life when we started up 74 years ago. It needs to be even more so now.”
ENDS
Notes:
• To view the Ramblers new look and logos please log onto www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer/logos. Available March 2 onwards
• The Ramblers is at the heart of walking. If you walk, the Ramblers is for you. With nearly 140,000 members across Britain you will find many friends
• It is Britain’s walking charity. It works to make it easy for everyone to walk, whether in countryside, cities, hills, coasts and on or off the beaten track.
• RamblersScotland has over 7,800 members and 58 local groups . Our aims are to promote walking for health and pleasure, to develop path networks, to secure access for walkers and to protect the environment.
• ‘Walk the Path to 2014’ aims to substantially increase the numbers of people walking in Scotland and use the stimulus of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to help increase physical activity levels across the Scottish population as a whole.
• Dennis Canavan was first elected to the House of Commons in 1974 and was a member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 until he stood down in May 2007. He has a long-standing interest in sport and the outdoors – enjoying cycling, hill walking and horse riding. Dennis was Convener of the Cross Party Sports Group in the Scottish Parliament and Chair of the Scottish Sports Group in the Westminster Parliament.
