WHITCHURCH Walking Festival 2019 is set to receive 'bags of cash' to help produce an even better event than those of previous years.

The ever-popular Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome event will receive £1,000 to help continue its success.

It follows a successful application by chairman, Neil Moore, and will see the festival become one of the contenders in Tesco’s Bags of Help draw in January and February 2019.

This will also guarantee the group £1,000, the award for third place in the draw.

Neil said: "This money, together with support from Whitchurch Town Council, will be used by the festival sub-committee to help subsidise transport and venue hire, leaflet printing and providing evening entertainment; the aim being to minimise the cost to the participants of the festival.

"The festival has been held annually in May since 2013 and takes place over three days.

"The festival appeals to walkers of all persuasions with approximately 24 walks of varying degrees of difficulty, from short guided walks exploring the history of the town to the 18-mile circular Whitchurch Wheel. Walks may also have themes, such as canal boat trips, sketching walks, poetry writing, nature and local attractions.

"Previous festivals have grown year-on-year, with last year’s three-day extravaganza bringing over £5,000 into the local economy."

Next year's festival will be over the weekend of May 10-12.

For more details about the festival and how to register to receive the programme when it is released, go to www.whitchurchwalkers.co.uk