Weymouth welcomes the Walk for Wildlife

Walkers of all ages are being urged to join Dorset Wildlife Trust this September on a journey along the coastal paths of Weymouth and Portland, on the eve of Weymouth’s Olympic year. The annual Walk for Wildlife has relocated to the Weymouth coast this year, joining the Wild About Weymouth and Portland project in celebration of the local area’s wonderful wildlife.

Where does the walk take place?

Starting from Dorset Wildlife Trust’s spectacular Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, there are 4 different routes ranging from 24 miles down to the 1.5 mile Toddler Friendly route. Participants are encouraged to set themselves challenges, and you can even register for doggy sponsorship forms and let your dog raise money for Dorset’s wildlife.

Fiona Sansom, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at Dorset Wildlife Trust said “Walk for Wildlife is one of our most popular events and this year it is even more special as we mark our 50th Anniversary by joining the celebrations of Weymouth and Portland’s fantastic landscape and wildlife.  It is a great way to walk the gorgeous coast of Dorset, and you can even get sponsored to raise money for Dorset Wildlife Trust if you want to turn things up a notch!”

Why is the walk so important?

Walk for Wildlife has raised £50,000 in the past for Dorset Wildlife Trust, and has had over 3000 participants.  Wildlife such as peregrine falcons, hummingbird hawkmoths and even dolphins have been spotted on previous walks and the new location promises even more wildlife, with routes passing through Weymouth’s top wildlife sites on the route of a proposed Legacy Trail from Wild About Weymouth and Portland.

Fiona added, “We just love to see people out enjoying wildlife, and with our new Toddler Friendly route this year, it means that everyone can come and join in on the fun. We have routes to suit everyone, and you can even bring the 4-legged members of the family too!”

How can I get involved?

Wild About Weymouth and Portland, a partnership between Dorset Wildlife Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Dorset Countryside and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, is funded by the Big Lottery Fund through Natural England’s Access to Nature programme, to encourage people to discover, enjoy and help conserve the borough’s wonderful natural environment. 

Walk for Wildlife is on 18th September, and has 4 walking routes; Easy at 5.8 miles, Moderate at 10 miles, Hard at 24 miles and Toddler Friendly at 1.5 miles.  Register by 31st August for early bird rates by clicking here or call 01305 264620.
 

-ENDS-
Notes to Editor

For more information please contact Nicky Hoar at Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620.

For our latest news subscribe to our RSS feed

About Dorset Wildlife Trust www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Working for a secure future for Dorset’s wildlife enriching the quality of life Dorset Wildlife Trust works to champion wildlife and natural places, to engage and inspire people and to promote sustainable living. Founded in 1961, DWT is now the largest voluntary nature conservation organisation in Dorset, with over 25,000 members and over 40 nature reserves. Most are open daily and there are visitor centres providing a wealth of wildlife information at Brooklands Farm, Lorton Meadows, Kingcombe Meadows and Brownsea Island Nature Reserves, The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and the Urban Wildlife Centre at Upton Heath Nature Reserve. DWT plays a key role in dealing with local environmental issues and leads the way in establishing the practices of sustainable development and engaging new audiences in conservation, particularly in the urban areas.

Read our Blog "Wildlife Matters"

The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) www.wildlifetrusts.org

There are 47 individual Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK and the Isle of Man and Alderney. All are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. We have more than 800,000 members including 150,000 members of our junior branch Wildlife Watch. Our vision is to create A Living Landscape and secure Living Seas. We manage around 2,300 nature reserves and every year we advise thousands of landowners and organisations on how to manage their land for wildlife. We also run marine conservation projects around the UK, collecting vital data on the state of our seas and celebrating our amazing marine wildlife. Every year we work with thousands of schools and our nature reserves and visitor centres receive millions of visitors. Each Wildlife Trust is working within its local communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their own Living Landscapes and Living Seas.

Chesil Beach - Alastair Cook

Kestrel - Wildstock

Walk for Wildlife at Weymouths Lorton Meadows - Dorset Wildlife Trust