Latest News
Donate A Refreshment to Coast Path Connectors
We have introduced a new 'Donate a Refreshment' option in our Shop. For £4 you can now donate to cover the cost of a refreshment stop for participants on our Coast Path Connectors (CPC) community walks. You can donate for yourself or for someone else to enjoy a well-earned cuppa. Here we highlight why this is an important part of our community walks.
At SWCPA, we aim to make our Coast Path Connectors walks as accessible as possible to our participants. In doing this, we have to consider a number of different things including what information we give people beforehand, what the local transport links are like, how far we walk, what the terrain is like and where the nearest toilets are. Having a well-earned refreshment stop and knowing that the cost of the drink is provided is also an essential part of the walk planning.
Image: Loft Community Group at Durlston Castle
This might seem like a luxury, but we have found that it is a really important part of the walk for our participants, as it can create a sense of community. One Cornish participant explains,
“It feels like I'm getting a reward and a medal!... well done, you've turned up, you've got out, you've taken part.”
A refreshment stop can also be a chance to speak to someone different, change the scenery and sit down after physical activity, and a chance to admire the coastal views. Our community partners have also highlighted its benefits. In our evaluation, one stakeholder commented,
"The opportunity to support a marginalised group, in this instance individuals who have experienced homelessness, or who are vulnerably housed is significant. Participants feel valued, which increases their self-esteem."
As another stakeholder explains,
"It just feels like they're being treasured, like they matter."
Covering the cost of everyone to have a drink can be seen as a good social leveller, as described by another community partner,
"It removes the anxiety or stigma of not being able to afford to join the group. The offer of a drink paid for by the project has overcome the barriers that prevented this individual from joining a mainstream walking group."
When planning where to stop for refreshments, our CPC team often choose independent cafes or those that are part of our Way Maker programme, and in this way, we are also supporting the local economy which is especially important in the leaner winter months, when our walks are still continuing.
These donations will go directly to fund refreshments of our community walks going forward and will help us to continue to offer this important offer into the future so please do consider donating the price of a cuppa to support this work.
To donate £4 towards a refreshment, visit our shop here. You can donate for yourself, as a one-off or to cover a series of walks or for someone else or a group to enjoy a well-earned cuppa.
Published on: May 7, 2025
