Walk organisers have confirmed that the Round Island Walk will be back in June next year, ‘bigger and better than ever before’. In recognition of the challenges islanders have faced this year which led to the 2020 Walk being cancelled, next year’s edition will be known as ‘The Saffery Rotary Walk 2020-2021’.
‘Early-bird registration’ for the event’s much anticipated return is open. Walkers who would like to take part in the thirty nine mile round-island walk on Saturday 5 June 2021 can take advantage of the early-bird registration offer if they act quickly.
Individual walkers who register by 31 January will pay a discounted price of £20, after which the regular registration fee will be £25.
As in previous years, walkers also have the option of taking part as a relay team, so they can complete the Walk with family, friends or colleagues. A maximum of seven people are permitted in each team. The early-bird price of £105 for team registration will be available until 31st January, after which the regular team registration fee will be £140.
Since the decision was made to cancel the 2020 Walk due to the COVID pandemic, organisers have been looking ahead and are excited to bring the well-loved event to our island’s coast once again.
“A number of innovations are planned to celebrate the Walk’s return to the Island calendar”, said organising committee chair Simon Milsted. “Taking the decision to cancel the 2020 Walk was very difficult, and disappointing for all those involved from our volunteers and sponsors to the benefitting charities and the walkers who had planned to take part.
“We hope that if there is one thing we can take forward with us into the New Year, it is that we continue to foster the fantastic community ‘Guernsey Together’ spirit that our islands have shown throughout the pandemic. We are grateful to all those who have helped us to keep the spirit of the Walk alive in a year when it could not go ahead. We therefore intend to make the 2020-2021 Walk an event celebrating our supporters’ and the Island’s resilience and fortitude.”
Supporting more than twenty local charities each year, the Walk is a mainstay of the Guernsey charity fundraising calendar. Despite the Walk’s cancellation due to the COVID pandemic, ten of the twenty two charities chosen as beneficiaries of the 2020 Saffery Rotary Walk have still received funds this year. £17,500 was raised from the generosity of registered walkers who offered to leave their entry fee with the Walk’s committee, corporate sponsors Saffery Champness, who have honoured their commitments to the Walk, and additional donations including a substantial donation from travel organisation ABTA. The remaining twelve charities will receive funding from the 2020-2021 Walk in June.
Lisa Vizia, director at Saffery Champness and member of the organising committee, said: “The generosity of the Saffery Rotary Walk community has been outstanding and has meant that ten of the twenty two charities have been able to receive funding already. This year has undoubtedly been a challenging time for charities, especially for those who rely on fundraising events like the Walk. We’re excited to bring it back next year to really give our benefitting charities a boost. We encourage anyone who is interested in taking part to sign-up, whether that be as an individual or as a group or relay team made up of family, friends or colleagues.”
Further information and a link to the Walk’s registration can be found on the website.
