Visitors from Misato

I have recently become Treasurer of Hebden Bridge Walkers Action. Yesterday we were visited by seven representatives of the town council of Misato in Japan. They came to Britain to find out about Walkers are Welcome towns as they are planning to set up something similar in their home town.

At the weekend they attended the Walkers are Welcome conference in Kirby Stephen and stayed in Otley before coming to visit us in Hebden Bridge. They came here because Hebden Bridge was the first Walkers are Welcome town. They were welcomed by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of our local Town Council, HebdenRoyd. There was a discussion and an exchange of ideas followed by coffee and cake.

Visitors from Misato with the Mayor

Walkers Action then accompanied the visitors on the bus up to Heptonstall. After a quick look around the historic village we walked back down to Hebden Bridge for Lunch in the White Lion.

Hebden Bridge Walkers Action have signed a Memorandum of Friendship with Misato in which we agree to support each other to:

• Encourage towns and villages in our respective countries to be "Welcoming to Walkers".
• Offer local people and visitors excellent walking opportunities.
• Promote the health benefits of walking.
• Increase participation in walking.
• Encourage the use of local transport.
• Ensure that footpaths and facilities for walkers are maintained, improved and well signposted.
• Encourage appreciation of the local countryside, landscape, cultural heritage, and ecology

It was wonderful to meet people from Japan who are as enthusiastic as we are about these objectives.