Family fun day entertains thousands in Blackburn

A family fun day launching six new walking routes in Witton Park proved to be a hit with thousands turning out for an action-packed event last weekend.

The ‘Walk in the Park’ event was organised by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in a bid to promote new walking and running signage in the park whilst providing entertainment and taster sessions to the public.

Six hundred people pledged to take part in the guided walks at the event which attracted over five thousand visitors on Sunday, 17^th July.

There were three main walking routes for visitors to choose from, each with options to make them longer or shorter with different attractions to spot along the way. The new trails range from a one-mile flat route suitable for pushchairs and wheelchair users to a more challenging four-and-half-mile route.

Other attractions included live music, an animal roadshow by Wellybobs, a rodeo bull, crazy golf, a BMX pump track, a Punch and Judy show and a hop on vintage bus for children to explore.

The signage for the walking routes was funded by the National Charity Partnership between Diabetes UK, British Heart Foundation and Tesco as part of a drive to tackle Type 2 diabetes.

Katherine Hale, prevention manager for the National Charity Partnership, said:

We hope these new walking routes will encourage more people to get outside and get active. We know that being physically active can help to reduce the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart and circulatory disease: two serious conditions which affect millions of people but are largely preventable.”

Councillor Damian Talbot, executive member for Culture, Leisure and Young People at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

It’s fantastic that so many people came to this event to promote the new walking routes. I hope that everyone who attended will want to come and use them on a regular basis. They’re a great way to keep fit and enjoy the outdoors both of which we know are good for health and wellbeing.”