Boundary Walk 2024 raises thousands for charity

This year’s Maidenhead Boundary Walk was a resounding success, bringing together 549 walkers who raised an impressive £22,538 for over 58 different charities. The Rotary Clubs of Maidenhead Bridge and Maidenhead Rotary, along with volunteer support from Maidenhead Rotaract, The Civic Society and GoodGym, organised the event, which drew participants from across the community to take part in this historic 13-mile tradition of "beating the bounds."

In total, 56 volunteers contributed 167¼ hours of their time to help make the event a success, manning checkpoints, stewarding road crossings, and ensuring the smooth running of the event.

This year's Boundary Walk was notable for several standout achievements:

• Highest Individual Sponsorship: Jonathon Edwards raised £2,600 for The Brain Tumour Charity.
• Group with Most Sponsorship: Maidenhead RFC Girls raised £5,000 and had 38 participants.
• Group with Most Walkers: Cookham Dean Primary PTA took the lead with 45 walkers.

To mark the 90th anniversary of the Maidenhead Boundary Stones, organisers revived a special tradition for the youngest walkers. The first 90 children to complete the route were gifted a sixpence from 1934, the year the Boundary Stones were installed, along with a numbered certificate. This historic coin, bearing the image of King George V, was donated by the community following an appeal from Maidenhead Civic Society.

The walk was officially started by Sarah Street, President of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary; Matthew Burdett, President of Maidenhead Rotary; Joshua Reynolds, MP for Maidenhead; the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Councillor Simon Bond; and Kate Hodge, Rotary District Governor for the Thames Valley.

The proceeds from this year’s event, expected to reach more than £2,000, will go to the Alzheimer’s Dementia Support, the nominated charity for 2024.

Event organiser Lisa Hunter expressed her delight at the day’s success: "We are thrilled to see such a fantastic turnout this year. The Boundary Walk continues to grow in numbers and in the impact it has for local charities. I’d like to thank all the walkers and volunteers who made this year’s event such a success. We couldn’t have done it without you."

For the second year running, walkers also enjoyed the convenience of the Zuvolo app, which guided participants around the route and allowed organisers to track their progress. "This technology ensures that we can continue making the event safer and more sustainable for the future," added Hunter.
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The community spirit was high as participants celebrated both the event’s fundraising success and the revival of cherished traditions. Sarah Street, President of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club, said: “The Boundary Walk exemplifies the very best of our community—people coming together to raise funds for good causes while enjoying the historic beauty of our town.”