Walkers are Welcome
Encyclopedia
The Walkers are Welcome scheme is a community-led initiative operating in England
, Scotland
and Wales
. The scheme promotes towns and communities as 'walker-friendly', based on a number of criteria, aiming to benefit local economies by attracting tourism.
town of Hebden Bridge
and formerly launched on 18 February, 2007. Since then, it has expanded rapidly and more than fifty towns and villages have been granted Walkers are Welcome status.
The Walkers are Welcome Towns Network claims that the scheme helps strengthen a town’s reputation as destination for visitors, and also brings benefits to the local economy, encouraging the towns to view walkers as "economic assets"
The Walkers are Welcome logo is widely used in towns with the status. Welsh
, Scottish Gaelic and Cornish
versions of the logo are in use in Wales
, Scotland
and Cornwall
.
The scheme is different from most official accreditation schemes in being managed through peer review
, rather than through a top-down agency. Direct community engagement is considered essential to the scheme’s success.
The current patron is Ramblers Association
former chairman, Kate Ashbrook.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The scheme promotes towns and communities as 'walker-friendly', based on a number of criteria, aiming to benefit local economies by attracting tourism.
Overview
The scheme was first proposed in Summer 2006 by a local walkers group in the YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
town of Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and lies 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the River Hebden .A 2004 profile of...
and formerly launched on 18 February, 2007. Since then, it has expanded rapidly and more than fifty towns and villages have been granted Walkers are Welcome status.
The Walkers are Welcome Towns Network claims that the scheme helps strengthen a town’s reputation as destination for visitors, and also brings benefits to the local economy, encouraging the towns to view walkers as "economic assets"
The Walkers are Welcome logo is widely used in towns with the status. Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, Scottish Gaelic and Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
versions of the logo are in use in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Organisation
The scheme is run by the towns and villages themselves, who are all members of the Walkers are Welcome Towns Network. The Network operates through a committee that meets every six to eight weeks as well as an annual conference.The scheme is different from most official accreditation schemes in being managed through peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
, rather than through a top-down agency. Direct community engagement is considered essential to the scheme’s success.
The current patron is Ramblers Association
Ramblers
The Ramblers, formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers...
former chairman, Kate Ashbrook.
Objectives and Criteria for inclusion
The main aim of the campaign is to get towns to be more supportive of hikers. Towns and villages wishing to receive Walkers are Welcome status are required to meet six criteria. These are:- Demonstration of popular local support for the concept.
- Formal endorsement by local council.
- Action to maintain facilities for walkers in good condition.
- Adequate marketing of the Walkers are Welcome status.
- Encouragement of use of public transport.
- Procedures in place to demonstrate sustainability of local interest.