William the Conqueror built Berkhamsted Castle in 1066 as a symbol of strength and community, and nearly 1,000 years later, residents are continuing to enjoy the legacy of the site.
Members of the local community gathered together for the Castle Walk on Saturday, September 14. The event aims to raise money for DENs, a Dacorum-based charity that helps people to rebuild their lives and supports those facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion.
The Castle Walk took residents on either a 10-mile or two-mile walk from Berkhamsted Castle across the gorgeous Hertfordshire countryside. Young people, toddlers, babies in prams, and even dogs all joined in, as well as a number of local groups, including the Decorum Indian Society.
Along the walk, fundraisers were greeted by volunteer marshals who shared words of encouragement.
Halfway along the route, the Church Farm Café in Albury offered walkers hot and cold refreshments.
The finishers were welcomed back to the castle with a feast in the hall donated by local bakers and independent shops.
Children also had the chance to take part in a colouring competition. The winner was a girl who drew a rainbow scarf for the Denny Bear Mascot; she was rewarded with a bouquet of chocolate for her awesome art.
The Berkhamsted News team were also thrilled to support our very own design team member Molly, who took part in the 10-mile walk.
Molly shared: “The sun was shining, there was a nice cool breeze and it was the perfect day for such a lovely walk. It was definitely tiring towards the end, but I enjoyed every bit of it!”
Louie, who joining Molly on the walk, said: “It was a great little journey for an even greater cause. I would absolutely do it again without hesitation.”
Meanwhile, Mary, a 97-year-old resident, took on the two-mile walk and raised more than £1,500 for DENs.
Together, the participants of the Castle Walk raised more than £17,000. The funds will go to DENs’ core services which include a foodbank, day centre and outreach centre.
Charlotte, community fundraiser for the event, said: “We are thrilled to have brought our walk back after five years, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day with the beautiful sunshine.
“We’ve received some great feedback from both walkers and volunteers, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved – those who participated, raised sponsorship, and the incredible local businesses that helped make the event possible.
“We are now eagerly looking forward to our next event, the Sponsored Sleepout, taking place on Friday, November 22. We hope to see you there!”
The Sponsored Sleepout will take place at Lockers Park Preparatory School in Hemel Hempstead and invites residents to spend a night sleeping outside to help raise awareness of the challenges of homelessness.
If you would like to learn more about DENs or book a place at the next fundraiser, visit www.dens.org.uk/event/sponsored-sleepout/
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