22. Sponsored Walk: Regent’s Canal to the Olympic Park on 11 October

This years sponsored walk in aid of the Water Conservation Trust’s Schools Programme took place in bright sunshine, with the 28 walkers scarcely believing they had covered the 6-7 miles as they arrived at the Olympic Park.

The walk was organised and led by Court Assistant and Trustee Rob Casey, with me responsible for the collection of stragglers. Walkers included six students from Queen Mary University (very welcome) with which we have a student bursary agreement, Trustees and Company members including the Thames Warden, and family and friends, with a strong contingent from West Berkshire supporting the Master and his Lady.  The weather was perfect and the only hazard coming from cyclists. We all like cyclists but speeding along a narrow towpath – both ways – with us walking in between was not fun.

The Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals are very pretty in places, with a good deal of messing around in boats.  The lunch break was taken in Victoria Park, bordering parts of Bethnal Green, Hackney, and Bow. Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Plus Partnership, gives Green Flag status to the best open spaces in the country. Victoria Park came out on top, competing against 1,424 parks and green spaces in the annual poll.

We finished in good order: Actually, not very good order, because the Master led the rear contingent the wrong way into the Olympic Park and got an earful from his Lady. That sorted we met up with Rob and dispersed. Most of us to cafes in the Westfield Stratford City(!) Shopping Centre.  To date, the walk has raised over £900 for the Trust’s Schools Programme. The 28 walkers are a record and the number of individual donors is approaching 50. The Virgin Money Giving site is open but if you want to talk to a real person, try Rob Casey or me.