In June 2025 UFRC supported clubs to host welcome walks as part of the Walk Week Campaign.
The aim of UFRC’s Walk Week campaign was to inspire new participants to experience a club-led walk. The initiative also sought to raise awareness of UFRC and its affiliated clubs, ensuring that even those unable to attend events during Walk Week remain engaged through ongoing promotion and opportunities to join future walks. The campaign took place from the 2nd – 8th June 2025 with preparatory work to create and evaluate the campaign afterwards taking place from the 5th May to 30th June. This campaign successfully brought together 10 walking clubs across Northern Ireland to inspire new participants to come for a walk with their club and raised awareness of all of UFRC’s clubs.
The initiative secured 14 welcome walks, engaged 105 new participants, reached over 140,000 people through targeted digital promotion, and secured national and regional media coverage. Despite some weather disruptions, the campaign proved an effective, repeatable model for attracting non-members and strengthening club visibility.
Participating clubs: Kilbroney Ramblers, Spartan Red Sox, Wesley Walkers, Gap O The North, Giant Steps, Armagh Ramblers, Maine Walking Group, Sperrin Hillwalkers, Down Danders, Fermanagh Ramblers.
Campaign coverage was secured in 8 newspapers including: Farming Life, News letter, Coleraine Chronicle, Farm Week and the Belfast Telegraph. The campaign also featured on U105 with Frank Mitchell and twice on the BBC Ulster Connor Phillips Show.
Club Feedback:
“Thanks for including the Spartans in Walk Week. It all worked very well from the club’s perspective. Around 12 non-members contacted us through UFRC, and between our Wednesday and Saturday walks we had some nine visitors participating. The Spartans made the visitors welcome, and we were enriched by having the company of the visitors. We received some very favourable feedback on the day and thereafter. We’re now hoping some of the newbies might wish to join the club, so we’ve sent them a follow-up email containing details of the website. All in all, a very worthwhile initiative.” Robin Morton, Spartan Red Sox
The federation hope to run this campaign again in May 2026 during ‘National Walking month’.