News

Thames charity walk launched in tribute to late industry figure Dan Townsend

19 May 2025 By Sophie Arundel

A 22km walk along the Thames will raise funds for The Drinks Trust, with the aim of collecting £10,000 to mark 10 years since the 2015 Chair’s Challenge.

A new fundraising event, Walk It Together, will take place on 12 September to support industry charity The Drinks Trust.

The 22km walk will begin at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London, and follow the Thames Path to Tower Bridge. The event was initiated by Ali Mann (emma wellings pr) inspired by The Drinks Trust’s Face It Together campaign, which aims to raise £1 million in 2025.

Mann said: “I’ve known The Drinks Trust and the amazing work they do for a long time. I’m also a big fan of river walks, and I knew I wanted to do something to help hit this target in 2025 so have worked with the team there to set this up.”

Chair’s Challenge Thames Walk

She added: “It’s also ten years since the late Dan Townsend’s Chair’s Challenge Thames Walk so this event is in tribute to him, and our goal is to raise £10k for ten years. We all know how the world is at the moment, but we also never know when we might need help from a charity like this. So, let’s Walk It Together.”

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Sponsorship from Vinarchy, TWE Global, Mentzendorff, Decanter and Australian Vintage ensures that all money raised from the event will go directly to The Drinks Trust. Fuller’s will host the start of the walk at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick.

Nicky Burston, CEO of The Drinks Trust, said: “We are deeply grateful to the participating companies, sponsors, and walkers for championing our work through this incredible initiative. A heartfelt thank you goes especially to Ali Mann for both conceiving the idea and for her longstanding generous support. This walk holds special significance for our team and many of the participants, as it serves as a tribute to our late Chair, Dan Townsend, and the lasting legacy he leaves behind in both our charity and the wider drinks industry.”

Places for the walk will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested in taking part can contact walkittogether25@gmail.com. Donations can be made at: https://walkittogether.enthuse.com/thedrinkstrust/profile.