MORE than 2,500 people have voted in a poll to save Padgate Walking Day – with the vast majority, 95 %, calling for the event, scheduled for June 22, to be saved.
The online poll has been started by Nathan Hepper, aged 39, a supervisor at the Dog and Partridge pub.
Nathan said: ” Me and my family have attended every Padgate walking since I can remember and it is such an important community tradition dating back to the 1830s that brings people and families together and if it’s cancelled we might lose a long-standing tradition forever.
“The poll/petition I have put online has over 2500 votes already to try to change the minds of the schools and people with the power and influence to overturn the decision to cancel, also we have a local Councillor trying to overturn the decision. So let’s pull together and show everyone that we as a town on the whole want this walk to go ahead.”
Local residents took to social media outraged that the event had been cancelled following a meeting of local church and school leaders due to “a lack of volunteers and safeguarding issues.
Local Cllr. Sue Emery has been working with concerned residents to try and get organisers to have a change of heart and carry on with the event.
Anyone who would be interested in volunteering should email Cllr Sue Emery at [email protected]
A link to the Facebook poll can be found here https://www.facebook.com/groups/435760275863979/permalink/435764849196855/
The event was almost cancelled in 2016 due to a lack of volunteers but was saved after a rallying call for help.
