Planet Pod goes walkabout with The Ramblers and the Western Front Way

May 31, 2019 A Sustainable Life, Wildlife and the Oceans

Planet Pod gets out of the studio and goes walkabout with our guests Tompion Platt and Rory Forsyth.  Amanda finds out first hand about the work of The Ramblers in making it easier to access walks in our cities as well as the countryside, and also learns about the Western Front Way – the new, continuous, permanent way marked path from the Swiss border in the South through France and Belgium to the channel coast in the North.

Our guests:

Tompion Platt_LinkedIn (1)

Tompion Platt is Director of Advocacy and Engagement at The Ramblers, a charity whose goal is to protect the ability of people to enjoy the sense of freedom and benefits that come from being outdoors on foot.  Tom joined the Ramblers in June 2018. Previous to that, he was head of policy and communications with Living Streets and a board member of the International Federation of Pedestrians. 

For over eight years, Tom has campaigned across the UK to improve places for people on foot and promote the social, economic and health benefits of walking. He has led on several high profile campaigns and advised senior policy makers at a national level on the walking agenda. Tom is also a strong believer in the importance of grass-root campaigning and working with volunteers to effect change at a local level. 

Tom is a passionate walker, whether it’s back in the Peak District where he grew up, or exploring a new city on foot.

rory forsyth

Rory Forsyth is CEO of the Western Front Way – a long-distance walking route along the Western Front.  Rory has been visiting the battlefields since he was a young boy and has retained a passion for military history, walking and learning. His key goal is ensuring the Western Front Way stands in the best possible place to succeed. ‘For me personally, life moves incredibly quickly most of the time. Walking over such sacred ground with nothing but birdsong and the company of fellow walkers for company is a truly special experience.’ As CEO, Rory is responsible in directing the operational side of the charity towards short, medium and long term goals. He often speaks on the charity and to potential supporters to maximise the impact of the WFW in the time left before the end of the centenaries. Rory also owns and operates Panshard Ltd, a premium events company specialising in production and delivery of major scale events and campaigns. 

Links:

Western Front Way website

The Ramblers website

#whyIwalk – Share your stories about why you walk via Twitter and Instagram

Get involved with The Ramblers Walking Neighbourhoods campaign here

We are delighted that Planet Pod was shortlisted as a finalist for the Be The Change Awards 2019.  See our short award entry video here.