Baildon Walkers are Welcome feel very honoured to have been invited to send one of our committee members as a representative of the walking community across Bradford, to be in the line-up for the visit of the King and Queen to Bradford on Thursday 13 May.

Chris Flecknoe, one of the founders of Baildon Walkers are Welcome, and currently Secretary for the group, was delighted to be presented to the Queen, and to able to highlight the focus on walking which is included in the City of Culture programme through the “Bradford on Foot” project. “Bradford on Foot” has selected and published 23 popular walking routes of varying lengths from across the District, and these can be found in leaflet form at Baildon Library or downloaded at https://bradford2025.co.uk/programme/bradford-on-foot/

Other people who were presented to their Majesties in the line-up (which was held at the new Bradford Live venue) represented other aspects of Bradford’s very diverse and inclusive City of Culture offering, including poets, calligraphers, dancers, musicians, actors, and young people from the “youth programme”. We are delighted that “walking” has been recognised by the City of Culture as a historically significant recreational activity for Bradfordians for at least 150 years.

As selfies were ruled out, we cannot provide a photo with the Queen, but here is one of Chris from the day with Shipley MP, Anna Dixon. They are standing in front of a board which illustrates one of the “Bradford on Foot” walks.