A NEW initiative, aimed at setting up a Town Walk Guide service in Alton to mark the QueenÕs Golden Jubilee, took a step forward this week with a public meeting to start the ball rolling.
Given a firm seal of approval by town mayor David Willoughby, the aim is to form a group of enthusiastic volunteers, with the interest of the town at heart, to conduct a series of 45-minute tours around Alton, pinpointing the main historic features and drawing attention to the range of interesting shops and services it can provide.
The brainchild of Joan Richardson, an active member of both the Mid-Hants Railway and the Friends of the Curtis Museum and Allen Gallery, the town guide project is seen as a natural extension to the map and booklet Mrs Richardson has produced on the story of Sweet Fanny Adams.
In explaining the idea, Mrs Richardson said that many visitors enter the town via the railway station and have no idea what pleasures await them just five minutes walk away.
She showed the map available to travellers on the Watercress Line which outlines the ÔFanny Adams trailÕ. This, she suggested, could be used as a basis for a circular walk which could be taken in either direction, starting from the station or the Tourist Information Centre whose manager, Shirley Tidy, is 100 per cent behind the project.
While highlighting the wealth of historical interest in the town, the walks would point out other areas of interest as well.
ÒWhat visitors to Alton want to know is where to eat, what to see and where the shops are,Ósaid Joan Richardson who feels the aim should not be not to provide an in-depth tour but one to stimulate interest in the town.
When it came to walk leaders Mrs Richardson told the meeting: ÒWe are not just looking for historians but people with a love and enthusiasm for Alton.Ó