Hi, I'm Matthew Bannister, host of the multi-award winning podcast Folk on Foot. On 4th August 2023, I am setting off on our biggest walk yet:

180 MILES IN 2 WEEKS

from Wickham Festival in Hampshire to Folk East in Suffolk. At the end of each day I’ll be meeting up—in a pub, naturally—with some of the folk world’s finest musicians. We’ll keep you updated on my progress on social media and our YouTube channel.

I’m doing it to raise money for the charity Help Musicians.

During the pandemic lockdowns, Folk on Foot’s wonderful listeners raised an astonishing £327,000 to support musicians who had lost their livelihoods. The lockdowns may be a distant memory now, but the problems faced by musicians haven’t gone away. Many are struggling with mental or physical health issues or financial hardship and Help Musicians do a brilliant job of supporting them to build sustainable careers in a very precarious industry. Music and musicians have been vital to my own wellbeing throughout my life—raising my spirits when I was down, helping me celebrate important moments and bringing me joy every single day. This walk is a small way of saying thank you. If you feel the same, please support me.