Luddites inspire school walk

Sep 5 2008 by Katie Campling, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

FUNDRAISERS will be following in the footsteps of the Luddites in a bid to help a Mirfield special school.

They will be taking part in a ‘Luddite Walk’ on Sunday to raise money for Holly Bank School, which offers education and residential services for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

The walkers will start the seven mile route at 1.30pm at Dun Steeple at Mirfield, just off the Cooper Bridge roundabout near The Three Nuns pub.

They will follow a route taken by Luddites on April 12 1812, who marched to Cleckheaton to destroy a mill which threatenedtheir livelihoods.

The walk will be led Ken Dews, of North Kirklees Ramblers Association, with a commentary given by Dr J Hargreaves, who is an expert on the Luddites.

The event has been organised by Mirfield woman Imelda Marsden.

She said: “I heard that someone had walked this route recently and it seemed a good idea to raise money. Also, in 2012, it will be the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprising and we hope to do the walk each year during the build up.”

Mrs Marsden hopes to turn the walk into a Guinness Book of Records attempt and wants as many people to turn up as possible.