Thousands of people take part in rainy Wirral Coastal Walk

May 20 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

Thousands of people take part in rainy Wirral Coastal Walk

AROUND 4,500 people joined a wet and windy Wirral Coastal Walk yesterday, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

The 15-mile walk around the borough’s coastline, organised by North Wirral Rotary Club, is Wirral’s biggest fundraising event and is now in its 23rd year.

Walkers of all ages took part, with stopping-off points at five and 10 miles for those who could not manage the entire trek.

The walk started at Seacombe Ferry and took in New Brighton, Leasowe, Meols, Hoylake, West Kirby and Caldy.

It finished at Thurstaston Country Park.

Jim Costello, of North Wirral Rotary Club, said many walkers set off early – some before 8am – because of the dreary conditions forecast.

He said: “The sun did come out, but we had three or four bouts of rain so a lot of the sponsor forms we stamped at the finish were quite soggy.

“But yet again, the people of Merseyside and Wirral in particular turned out in their thousands to take part in the Wirral Coastal Walk.

“Despite the weather and the current economic conditions, people showed they were prepared to give up their time and money to support their favourite charities.

“We would like to thank everyone who walked this year and all those who helped to make the event such a success, especially our main sponsor Unilever.”

Mr Costello said early estimates suggested this year’s walk raised more than £300,000.

The first charity walk around Wirral’s coast was organised in 1986 with around 300 participants, but the coastal walk in its current form began the year after.

David Perrin, a founder member of North Wirral Rotary Club, first came up with the idea of a community project designed to enable local charities and individuals to raise money for the good cause of their choice.

Since then, hundreds of charities have benefited from walkers being sponsored to take part in the event.