A project designed to bring the community together to walk, talk and find support has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Zaar to keep going.

Walk and Talk is a free service that welcomes attendees of any age, sex or nationality to walk together in locations across the island, while chatting over with professionals and those with similar personal experiences, eventually gathering as a group to enjoy refreshments after the walk.

“Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, lonely, stressed, in the darkness of depression, suffering from an eating disorder or anxiety, we will support you,” explains Walk and Talk founder Rachael Hollwey. “Walk and Talk has had an overwhelming impact in the community and the hard work and time dedicated to it is worth every moment. I have been developing it over the last year alongside my full-time work and current medical battles. Unfortunately, these are worsening and require ongoing treatment abroad, so my immediate concern turned to figuring out how Walk and Talk would continue. So, for my birthday this year, I’m asking people to help me keep Walk and Talk going, through raising enough money to fund the remaining walks in 2021.”

Partnered with The Richmond Foundation, Mental Health Association Malta and BirdLife Malta, each Walk and Talk event requires extensive organisation including ensuring a good location for each walk, fundraising for and obtaining refreshments, liaising with the community and arranging professional support and volunteers.

The Walk and Talk 2021 campaign on local reward-based crowdfunding platform Zaar hopes to raise a funding goal of €1,500 – an amount that will fully support three upcoming walks, for which locations have already been organised.

While raising funds online for a worthy cause, crowdfunding via Zaar may also offer backers a boost of positivity like that experienced through Walk and Talk. This popular method of alternative finance not only promotes a project and creates awareness, but it also gives the Maltese public an opportunity to make a direct impact on the local community with small donations. What’s more, with every donation pledged to the Walk and Talk Zaar campaign, supporters can expect to receive a choice of rewards from Thank You emails to Walk and Talk wristbands, keychains and mugs.

“Supporting a project by crowdfunding through Zaar feels very appropriate,” concludes Ms Hollwey. “Zaar gives members of the public the chance to really make a difference through projects like Walk and Talk. Just a €20 donation will allow an attendee to access the full support at the walk. If 75 people donate €20 then we have hit our target and helped to change and even save lives! Every little helps, so any amount you can donate is received with true gratitude and the best birthday gift I could ask for this year.”

For more information and to donate to the Walk and Talk Zaar campaign, visit https://zaar.com.mt/projects/walk-and-talk-2021/.