JUDE BOUTLE can finally put her feet up after her epic Big Walk across central England and around Wales.
Representing Team Wales, the 56-year-old economic development officer left Morecambe on May 16 and walked up to 15 miles a day, calling in at community projects and meeting individuals who are helping to improve their neighbourhoods.
After crossing the finishing line in Llandrindod Wells, Jude said, “Taking part in the big walk has been an absolute privilege. I never thought I’d be chosen to be the Welsh walker! On our journey through Wales I have met and connected with incredible people using their energy, compassion and love of place to transform lives and communities. Our job was the easy bit, we just had to walk, the people we met work tirelessly at the projects that they are passionate about. Some visits touched my heart – we met people discarded and broken by circumstance and mended by members of their community.
“I’ve also been inspired by the concept at the heart of the Big Walk; I want to shout about all the great things that go on in Llandrindod Wells because there a lot of people doing great stuff but sometimes people simply don’t know about it.”
After setting off from Builth Wells on her final day, Jude was greeted by Llandrindod Wells residents who held a Big Lunch in the town in her honour. Other Big Lunches were held across Wales, including in Cardiff and Swansea.
The Big Walk celebrates and connects the people at the heart of our communities and was designed to encourage neighbours and communities all across the UK to join in The Big Lunch on June 3. Hundreds of residential streets across Wales were closed to traffic and turned into neighbourly street parties.
Peter Stewart of the Eden Project, organisers of The Big Walk, added “It’s been an incredible journey for Jude and all our walkers. With over 100 projects visited this year, we are still only just scratching the surface of what goes on across the UK. In every town and city there are people making a difference to others and we can’t wait to set off again next year and visit even more!”
First introduced by the Eden Project and made possible by The National Lottery, The Big Lunch is a simple idea – that for a few hours once a year, neighbours and communities come together to share food, friendship and fun where they live. The event now attracts millions of people and is the UK’s biggest get-together for neighbours. Last year over 9.3 million people took part in over 96,000 events.
Lowri Jenkins, Wales co-ordinator for The Big Lunch, said: “The Big Lunch aims to get people together and talking — and it can lead to people doing great things within their community, and tackling the issues that matter to them most.”