Walking festival returns to April slot in Shropshire calendar - with a brand new sponsor
A south Shropshire walking festival has taken a giant step into the future by signing up a headline sponsor.
The SW80K Festival is set to see more than 500 hikers gather at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, in Craven Arms, on April 2, as the feature returns to its regular slot.
And the organisers have a double reason to celebrate as they have signed up rural broadband provider Airband as a headline event sponsor.
Since 2009, Airband has been on a mission to transform connectivity for people in need of broadband, spanning even the hardest-to-reach areas of the UK.
On Saturday, April 2, runners and walkers from across the UK and beyond will descend on Craven Arms to take part in one of three events - the mighty SW80K, The Mammothon or the Half-Mammothon.
The festival offers stunning courses which showcase the rugged beauty of this fascinating area, taking in Iron-Age hillforts, jagged peaks, ancient woodlands, upland heath and traditional market towns.
Run as a fundraiser for Grow Cook Learn, the charity which has operated the Discovery Centre since 2014, the event is about supporting the charity’s mission to connect people to the food, history and landscape of the Shropshire Hills.
Grant Wilson, the centre manager and event organiser said: “Having Airband on board as a headline sponsor is a huge step forward for the SW80K Festival.
"Every year, we try to develop the event to reach out to a wider audience and encourage greater numbers of people to enjoy the food, camaraderie and stunning landscapes on offer.
"Having a sponsor helps us accelerate this process and we are particularly delighted to have a local company who believes in our ethos and is as keen as we are to help the event grow.
"We look forward to developing and mutually beneficial relationship with Airband in the coming years.”
If you would like to take part in any of the events, a link to the bookings page can be found on the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre website at https://www.shropshirehillsdiscoverycentre.co.uk/whats-on-at-shdc/shropshire-way-80k-festival/
