Trek for Change 2024: Q&A with Paul Bodill, director at CPMG

Since 2008, our annual charity walk has been a circled date in our calendar. Every year, our director Paul Bodill works behind the scenes to make the fundraising event the standout day it is. From bespoke route creation to planning the complicated logistics that come with a 30-mile circular hike, across some of the best terrain and through the most scenic areas the Peak District has to offer, Paul is the mastermind behind it all.??

Taking place in July, this year’s Trek for Change is in aid of Nottingham-based charity Nottingham Women's Centre and is expected to be an incredible day.

We caught up with Paul on what to expect from this year's event, along with insight on what goes into the planning for an event like this and his thoughts on why Nottingham Women’s Centre is deserving of our support.??

What can those who have signed up expect from this year’s route?

From Derwent Valley to Matlock, and across the collection of other standout Peak District locations that this year’s 30-mile (50km) route showcases, there is some incredible scenery for walkers and supporters to take advantage of.?

Every year, I spend a lot of time looking over maps and planning the route, before then heading out and looking first-hand at what the specially crafted route looks like. New this year, the route makes use of the nearby historic locations, such as the disused High Peak railway line and points of industrial heritage including the world's first industrial factories and mills in Cromford.??

A key aspect to consider for me when planning is variation and ensuring that the experience is the best it can be, this includes thinking about different walking elements and ensuring the route is as scenic as possible. Our walkers are in luck this year, with the route having a bit of everything, from those industrial points of interest to some beautiful scenery from different viewpoints across Derwent Valley, Carsington Reservoir and beyond.

You’ve been involved in CPMG’s charity walk event every year since its inception in 2008, what is it about the event that keeps you wanting to be involved??

Working alongside a collection of other brilliant business local to the East Midlands, in 2008 we seized the opportunity to get involved in supporting and planning a walk of this scale. This first walk was the Lyke Wake walk, which was 42-miles and certainly wasn’t for the faint hearted!?

Since 2008, we have taken on the mantle of running our own charity walk, which utilises our current circular format instead of a linear one and is usually 28-30 miles long. My involvement with the walk every year largely comes from my own love for walking and the outdoors. To some, pouring over maps and routes, and intricate planning seems like a mammoth job, which it is – but it’s one I really enjoy!?

How important has the support from walkers and those attending in support been over the years?

Every year, the support for the walk is invaluable, for both us as a business in planning the walk, but also for all the charities the money raised has supported over the years.??

There are some attendees who participate year after year to support us and our charitable causes, with a few having done every single hike, and this continued support is so important to the growth of the walk and in strengthening the messaging behind the event.??

I’m proud to be organising an event that every year is a well-established fixture in so many people’s calendar, but one that also welcomes so many new faces every summer to join us on the route. It’s always fantastic for me to see the growing interest the walk continues to have, and the event wouldn’t work without this and the continued support.??

Is there anything different about this year’s walk compared to previous years?

Our charity walk never uses the same route twice, with our work in the lead up to the day ensuring that the trip showcases new elements of the area that our walkers likely haven’t seen before.??

At least 80% of this year's walk is brand-new in terms of where our charity walks have gone before. However, having said that, the 20% which has been used before is largely in passing and is being retraced to get those taking part to somewhere new and not yet trodden by any of our walkers boots over the years.??

What’s new this year with the check points and mobile tuck shop?

We’ve put a significant amount of thought into our roaming tuck shop, which has proven a hit every year. A key aim for us in planning stages is working to ensure our walkers are carrying as little as possible, so the walk itself is as easy as it can be.??

On the day itself, myself and our fantastic group of supporters man the designated check points along the route where walkers can find food, water, medical supplies and a lot of encouraging words! Our mobile tuck shop will also be available again this year, moving along the route with our walkers, and will this year be offering some brand-new checkpoint surprises to those taking part.?

One element worth mentioning is the return of the samosas, the famous food option usually found at checkpoint four!?

Aside from this, we’re ensuring we are equipped to support those taking part as much as possible, through increasing the amount of information on our route cards, which will also include interesting information regarding the industrial landmarks dotted along the route. We are also offering GPX files for those using a sat nav and easy to follow route maps as standard for walkers to utilise if needed.??

Nottingham Women’s Centre is this year’s chosen charity, what can you tell us about why its work is so important?

We’re pleased to have grown our longstanding relationship with Nottingham Women’s Centre (NWC) over the past five years. NWC works in collaboration with other local women's crisis and violence reduction services to offer a range of support for women in need.?

Throughout these five years, we’ve worked to support the charity using our expertise in interiors and functionality, especially supporting in using its spaces as effectively as possible. This was increasingly prevalent in 2021, when we undertook a large exercise to replan the historic building on Chaucer Street in Nottingham City Centre to ensure elements such as the library and in-house support was as accessible as it could be for the women in need of help and making the building fit for purpose.??

Personally, I’ve been able to get to know the charity well through this work and even had the pleasure of being invited to the charity’s last annual AGM in January this year. Attending this only further solidified my view to support the charity even more through our own charitable initiatives at CPMG. I was able to hear first-hand how much the charity has grown since its inception in 1985, and how its work has been pivotal to helping so many women and improving their lives.??

Nottingham Women’s Centre is an incredibly valuable resource and one that is deserving of as much support as possible. As this year’s chosen charity for our Trek for Change, I’m looking forward to seeing how much needed funds we can raise and how far we can spread the charity’s message.??

For further information on this year’s Trek for Change, go to https://www.cpmg-architects.com/news/trek-for-change-our-annual-charity-walk-is-back-and-better-than-ever??

To sign up to this year’s walk, please contact Paul Bodill at [email protected]