An email arrives at London Walks from Andy in Bruges…
Hello crew of the London Walks,
On September 21st I turned daddy for the very first time. Proud to announce the birth of my son, Ollie. With this I got hit by inspiration and wanted to do something for charity.
Every year, one of the national radio stations (Studio Brussel) holds the "warmest week", the week before Christmas. Then everyone can go and donate to a charity-cause. But, from September until that week you can hold events for that chosen charity.
With just having a baby-boy, I chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Every week on Friday, at 6pm, I'm offering a free walk for anyone who shows up.
At the end of the two hour walk, you can give what you want, all this is going 100% to the Make-A-Wish foundation in Flanders. So the Walk for Charity events go on until December 16th.
Then it's the last Friday I'm offering these free walks and the week after I'm going to give everything to the Make-A-Wish foundation. My question to you?
Well, would it be possible to spread the word of these events? The people will be walking with me, still certified city guide in Bruges. Fun, amusing and informative.
More information can be found on http://yourbruges.com/charity.html
Kind regards Andy.
London Walks Pen & Daily Constitutional Special Correspondent David replies…
Here's to you Andy in Bruges and your brand new son Ollie (who has every reason to be proud of his papa). All the very best. Good on you on all counts. For your joy over your baby. For helping out the Make-A-Wish foundation. For sharing your city and your skills and your warmth with visitors to Bruges. For offering a free walk that's on the up and up, that's genuinely free (in marked contrast to the stinks-to-high heaven bait and switch productions). For sure, we'll try to help spread the word - after all, a lot of us are proud dads…
DC Editor Adam adds…
Congratulations Andy & good luck with your free walks!
I am delighted to read your email for a number of reasons. Firstly, I love Bruges, a great city one of my favourites in Europe.
Secondly, it's great to see a free walk that is not just a tip scam that exploits young guides and makes a big company rich.
Thirdly, the Make-A-Wish Foundation is a great cause!
Lastly, on a more personal level, I visited Bruges for the first time on the 1st of November 2006 with my wife Karen. It was the day after Halloween and I had conducted my first London Walks Halloween ghost tour the night before and it had been great fun.
The reason that my wife and I were heading off to Bruges for a mini-break was to mark a very special day: the first day of the second trimester of Karen's pregnancy! The second trimester, as you know Andy, is the middle period of the pregnancy and is traditionally the time when mothers-to-be announce their pregnancy to their wider circle of friends.
Bruges is special to us because it's the place where we kept our pregnancy all to ourselves for just a few days longer before telling all our friends.
Our daughter Isobella was born in June 2007 and we brought her to Bruges for a second time (!) earlier this year to sample, among other things, the finest hot chocolate in the world…
Anyway, that's my story, your journey is just beginning. Good luck with everything! Keep us posted with news of your free walks!
All details of the BRUGES FREE WALK FOR THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION can be found here: http://yourbruges.com/charity.html
A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com