Friends of Ray Mill Island celebrate one year of popular Walk & Talk initiative

A group dedicated to boosting the natural environment of Ray Mill Island is celebrating one year of its popular Friday Walk & Talk initiative.

The Friends of Ray Mill Island (FoRMI) began the sessions in February last year, led by retired local businessman David Walker, who came up with the idea.

FoRMI is a volunteer-led project which looks to enrich the natural environment of Ray Mill Island.

As part of Wild Maidenhead’s Wilder Parks project, the team’s goal is to ‘promote greater diversity and create a beautiful, natural haven for wildlife’, while offering the opportunity for the ‘community to connect’.

The Walk & Talk sessions look to bring people together to tackle loneliness and promote community spirit.

Walkers meet up each Friday at 10am outside The Boathouse at Boulters Lock, ready to embark on a relaxed circular walk of Ray Mill Island.

The 52nd walk took place on Friday, January 30 and officially marked the group’s 12th anniversary.

Over the last year, more than 50 Maidenhead residents have taken part in the walks, with an average of 11 walkers attending weekly.

The walks are inclusive and suitable for all levels and cover 2-3km in approximately 45 minutes.

The group then enjoy refreshments at The Boathouse afterwards.

On one occasion, the group was joined by five canine companions.

In total, 47 different people have taken part throughout the year, collectively walking more than 100km across 45 recorded walks.

The wet weather has only interrupted the walks briefly on one occasion.

The Walk & Talk sessions have also made a ‘tangible difference’, organisers said, with participants raising and donating more than £440 to the Friends of Ray Mill Island last year.

Many walkers have also gone on to become ambassadors and active supporters of the group’s wider volunteer projects.

Alongside David Walker, the team has recognised Lucy, Kath, Annette, Ian, Alex, Dee, Peter and Sue who have each attended close to or more than 40 walks.

David said: “These walks have become about far more than exercise.

“They’ve created friendships, conversation and a real sense of belonging, while encouraging people to care for and champion Ray Mill Island.”

One of FoRMI’s highlights of the year was tracking down Eunice Goodman, the creator of The Maiden & Swans sculpture.

The team organised a talk by the now 88-year-old artist.

This led to the decision to carry out the renovation and repair of the sculpture.

This took place alongside ongoing volunteer works to plant, dig, water and clear large areas of the Island to boost sustainability and biodiversity.

The restoration of the sculpture took place in September last year and the works included injecting structural expanding foam into the hollow base of the sculpture, adding fiberglass paste in-fill into the large holes and sanding and wiping each millimetre of the sculpture with solvent.

A polyester resin-based paint with bronze powder was also applied all over the artwork.