Wonford Walking Sports Festival

By Ed Shaw (Community Physical Activity Organiser)

With the excitement of the Women’s Rugby World Cup coming to Exeter, Exeter City Council and Live and Move were keen to bring some of that buzz into the neighbourhoods we work in as Community Physical Activity Organisers.

So, we asked residents what they’d like to see locally—and that’s how the idea for the Wonford Walking Sports Festival was born.

I focused plans around the walking sports groups already active in the area, including walking netball, walking football, and walking rugby (with the rugby players joining us from nearby Topsham). All the groups were keen to be involved and help showcase their sports to the wider community.

Wonford Community Centre kindly offered to host a community information area and provide refreshments, and because the event fell during the school holidays, we added a multisport activity for children—giving parents and grandparents the chance to try out walking sports while the kids had fun nearby.

We spread the word with posters in local shops, flyers through doors, and posts on social media. The day itself was a little grey, but that didn’t dampen spirits. A good number of locals came along to give walking sports a go, with walking rugby proving especially popular—perhaps thanks to the World Cup buzz!

Several families joined us too, and their children enjoyed the multisport sessions. After the event, all the groups felt the afternoon had gone well, and there was even talk of putting on a similar festival in the spring.