Last-ditch effort to save Padgate & Woolston Walking Day

A last-ditch effort is being made to save Padgate & Woolston Walking Day following a decision to cancel it due to a lack of volunteers and safeguarding issues.

Local residents took to social media outraged that the event, scheduled in just a few weeks time, for Saturday, June 22, had been cancelled following a meeting of local church and school leaders last night.

Now Poluton North Cllr Sue Emery has called for an emergency meeting to try and save the event and called on local residents to contact her and get involved.

Following the meeting of church and school leaders last night, Chair of Churches Together in East Warrington Fr Dave Heywood wrote: “There was clearly a strong desire to keep Walking Day but to do it safely.
Times have changed and some representatives shared genuine concerns about the safety of children from our schools.
“With just four weeks to go and with two of those weeks being half-term, we were unable to reach a consensus about being able to hold Walking Day safely.
“Therefore it was decided we should not proceed with Padgate and Woolston Walking Day this year.
“The decision was made reluctantly, but it was made with the best interests of the children expected to take part.
“I realise many will be disappointed with this decision. However, if people want to help keep this tradition alive, they need to step up and volunteer to help when they are invited to do so. As it is, increasingly too much is being left to too few volunteers.
“Moving forward it was decided that a Management Team would convene in September to plan next year’s Walking Day and to do everything possible to overcome the difficulties we have faced this year.”

The event was almost cancelled in 2016 due to a lack of volunteers but was saved after a rallying call for help.

Anyone who would be interested in volunteering should email Cllr Sue Emery at [email protected]