HOT on the heels of last year’s Beat the Street success – which saw thousands of local people, young and old, take up walking – another walking promotion is raring to go.
Thurrock Council’s public health team in partnership with Thurrock Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), Arts Council England, and Kinetika have teamed up with local organisations like community forums, local charities, schools and local ramblers to create a series of silk painting flag workshops and walking activities on Thurrock 100 – ten, ten-mile walks.
Cllr Barbara Rice, the council’s portfolio holder for health and adult social care, added: “During the Beat the Street campaign almost 15,000 people took part in walking a total of 70,126 miles in six weeks.
“There had been a demand to repeat it, but we wanted to do something different and more sustainable – and in partnership with local business as well as local people.”
And Ali Pretty, director and artist of High House Production Park, Purfleet-based Kinetika added: “Since moving my company to Thurrock last year, I’ve been inspired by all the stories I’ve heard and by the generosity of the people I’ve met and their enthusiasm for the Thurrock 100 idea.
“I would love people from across the borough to come along and contribute their ideas and designs for the ten flags, and to join me in painting the silks, so the banners really represent what the people of Thurrock want to say about where they live.”
Cllr Rice said: “I really want to thank Kinetika for their support and arts expertise, Thurrock’s reputation in the arts world is building, day-on-day and it’s amazing to think we have a cultural and artistic organisation like Kinetika here in Thurrock who can help us celebrate our unique character.
“This is just the start and next year it will be even bigger.”
The Thurrock100.org website went live on Monday (18 May) setting out a feast of summer walking and talking activities available across the borough.
The routes of the ten new walks have been suggested by local people, and include many of Thurrock’s historic landmarks and places of interest as well as beauty spots.
People from all over the borough and beyond are invited to join the walks, which begin on 9 July in Ockendon and finish on 18 July arriving at the new Village Beach festival at Grays Beach Park.
The walks will also take in Horndon-on-the-Hill, Bulphan, Orsett, Purfleet, Stanford, Chafford Hundred, Aveley, Tilbury, Chadwell St Mary, and Stifford Clays. They have all been designed so everyone, regardless of age, ability and background, is able to take part – doing as little or as much as they choose.
