Boundary Walk

2024 Boundary Walk update

The Shorter Family-Friendly 4.9 kilometer walk
This has been modified to allow our friends from ADS to attend, allowing for two short-cuts providing even shorter walks this year. This year the overall MBW and the family-friendly walk will especially feature the ADS charity in addition to other charities).

Preserving the Maidenhead Heritage
Earlier in the year on May 11th, with some careful planning, a Boundary Stone embedded in a garden patio was moved to a place nearer the actual route of the walk. This leaves two other stranded Boundary Stones to preserve.

One of them – Boundary Stone 18, is in use as a step in the garden of a private house. Due to its location and limited pavements on the nearby roads, there is no convenient place to re-erect this stone safely. So, it will be temporarily housed in the Maidenhead Heritage Centre.

If plans come to fruition in late August, it will be removed from its present location, replaced with a sleeper, and trolleyed down the 1.7 miles to the Maidenhead Heritage Centre, where they are happy to look after it.

Mace Matters
To help publicise the 90th anniversary of the 1934 placement of the Maidenhead Boundary Stones, a full-size facsimile of the 1604 Maidenhead Mace used on the previous 'Beating on the Bounds' has been made. This small 32.5 inch long mace was traditionally used to tap each boundary stone to keep the evil from our boundaries.

Sixpences to give away
To celebrate this 90th anniversary the Maidenhead Civic Society will donate 90 pre-decimalisation sixpences to the first 90 children to participate in the walk.

For more information see www.maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk/boundary-walk.html

High-tech Boundary Walk raises thousands for charity

At least 26 charities and community groups received a welcome cash boost thanks to the efforts of more than 400 participants in Sunday’s Rotary Boundary Walk. Together they raised more than £4,000 in sponsorship while the event raised another £2,500 for Rotary good causes.

A total of 418 walkers set out on the 13-mile circuit of the boundary of the old Maidenhead Borough based on the tradition of ‘beating the bounds’ which dates back to when the town was granted its charter in 1582. Another 36 people of all ages completed a shorter family route, which ensures the Boundary Walk is accessible to everyone.

Town crier Chris Brown started the event by reading a proclamation to set the walkers on their way.

Among those taking part were Zahra Bharmal and Farida Nagee who completed two circuits of the long route to clock up a full marathon. It is the second time Zahra had completed 26 miles at the event, after she lost out on a place in the London Marathon last year.

Another stand-out walker was Hardev Singh Panesar, who this year completed his 29th Boundary Walk, raising almost £1,000 for charities in Maidenhead. He first did the walk in 1983 and over the years has raised about £50,000 for various charities, mainly the Thames Valley Adventure Playground in Taplow.

The biggest team entry was a 49-strong contingent raising money for autism awareness while large groups were also fielded by The Link Foundation, Tuneless Choir, scouts, guides and fundraisers for research into Motor Neurone Disease.

The event is organised jointly by the Rotary Club of Maidenhead Bridge and Rotary Club of Maidenhead which deployed scores of volunteers to man refreshment points and steward road crossings along the route, which started and ended in Boulters Lock Car Park in Lower Cookham Road.

This year saw the introduction of a new app called Zuvolo which guided walkers around the route but also allowed organisers to track their progress.

Event organiser Lisa Hunter said: “Rotary has been helping to develop and test the Zuvolo app. From a safety perspective we are now able to track walkers around the route which will help us make the event more sustainable into the future as we will be less dependent on stewards.”

She was delighted with this year’s increased turnout. “Numbers have bounced right back after Covid. Thanks to everyone for taking part and to all the Rotarians and other volunteers for giving up their time to help,” she said.

Maidenhead MP Theresa May once again joined walkers for the start of the walk, along with deputy Royal Borough Mayor, Cllr Simon Bond, Rotary Club presidents John Hudson and James Ticehurst, and Rotary district governor Kate Hodges.

Mrs May said: “It is a great local event and it’s wonderful to see so many people across all ages come together to enjoy the walk and also raising funds for good causes. It shows the best of Maidenhead.”