About evesham welcomes walkers
Background
In 2017, and to mark 70 years since its founding in 1947, Evesham Rambling Club committed to gaining Walkers are Welcome status for the town. This fitted in well with the Evesham Town Plan which set out to improve access to the River Avon, make more of its attractions, highlight the town’s glorious heritage and to promote Evesham as a town that welcomes walkers.
Walkers are Welcome is a nationwide initiative launched in 2007 and has enabled “the development of over 100 accredited Towns and Villages members to assist with their communities’ economic, physical health and mental well-being through walking”.
From its inception in 2017 up to 2023 when accreditation was awarded to the town, the Club went about the task of meeting criteria in order to qualify. Their first project was to devise and execute a Round Evesham Walk. Once this was launched the Club went on to establish the Evesham Walking Festival and six other Circular Walks. Ongoing footpath maintenance and improvements were very much part of this process.
Throughout, the Club was supported by the Worcestershire County Council Public Rights of Way Team, Wychavon District and Evesham Town Councils.



Status
In 2023 Evesham was awarded Walkers are Welcome status.
In order to achieve this accolade Evesham Rambling Club reached out to other walking groups, local businesses and local councils to form a Steering Group to promote and coordinate an application for Walkers are Welcome status.
Having succeeded in obtaining accreditation, the Steering Group now meets regularly in order to action further developments that will contribute to the town’s future prosperity and the well-being of its inhabitants.
