Fifty walkers raised £10,968.02 for Horsham Matters on its first 20km sponsored walk, Amberley to Pulborough. A second walk is set for 18 September 2027.

Horsham Matters’ first sponsored walk has raised £10,968.02 for the charity, including Gift Aid. Fifty walkers covered 20km across the South Downs on Saturday 19 September. The charity announced the total on 28 September (Horsham Matters).

The walk was part of the charity’s 20th anniversary year. Horsham Matters says the money will go directly towards supporting people across Horsham District who are facing hardship.

The route

The walk was guided from start to finish by Pied à Terre Adventures, a Sussex outdoor company. It started at the Riverside Café by the river near Amberley station and finished at the Oddfellows Arms on Lower Street, Pulborough (Horsham Matters event page). Every stop was inside the district:

  • St Mary’s Church, Storrington, the halfway rest
  • The Crown Inn, Cootham, which laid on bacon rolls, water and soft drinks
  • RSPB Pulborough Brooks, the last break before the final stretch
  • The Oddfellows Arms, Pulborough, the finish, where walkers received their medals

Walkers came as individuals, families and corporate teams. Compass Travel and Chartwell Bus Sales provided the bus that took them to the start and home again.

Walkers in Horsham Matters T-shirts wave as they walk single file along a grassy path on the 20km sponsored walk
Walkers on the route on 19 September. Photo: via Horsham Matters.

What the organisers said

Richard, director of Pied à Terre, said the company was “absolutely delighted” to be asked to lead the walk for the anniversary. “We enabled all 50 walkers to successfully complete the challenge walk,” he said. “With the demand on the charity only increasing, actively supporting Horsham Matters and their amazing fundraisers in completing the walk and raising almost £11k is a huge personal honour.”

The charity has already set a date for next year. The second annual 20km walk will be on Saturday 18 September 2027, and registration of interest is open now (Horsham Matters).

What it means for you

  • To take part next year, register your interest on the 2027 walk page. It is open to individuals, groups of friends and work teams. The charity describes the route as suitable for a wide range of fitness levels.
  • To give now, the charity takes donations on its donate page. In September alone it reported a Waitrose collection, a quiz at the Red Deer and a harvest food drive at Aspen Care, and a local firm’s fundraiser to keep its food banks stocked.
  • If you need help, Horsham Matters runs outreach and support services alongside its food banks; the get help page explains how to reach them. If money is tight, our report on unclaimed benefits in the district is also worth a read.

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