Families and fundraisers can enjoy a walk on the wild side with Kent’s premier conservation group at a popular challenge event next month.

The Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) is holding a scavenger hunt and a crafting workshop at the KM Charity Walk. The walk takes place on Sunday, June 23

It is the third year that the trust has supported the walk, and KWT membership marketing manager Tom Taylor said: “The trust recognises the great contribution the KM Charity Walk offers to local charities and causes, and is pleased to be supporting it again.

“Gentle exercise such as walking through the countryside is the perfect way to merge nature and wellbeing, and we encourage people to get involved and see different types of nature and wildlife along the way.”

The walk will be staged in Maidstone, with a choice of 10 and five-mile routes taking walkers through the beautiful Kent countryside between the Grade II listed Georgian mansion Mote House and Leeds Castle.

Anyone can take part and raise money for their favourite good causes, with 70 per cent of sponsorship money going to the participants’ chosen charities, and the rest helping to fund the KM Charity Team’s child-literacy, green-travel and road-safety work.

Mr Taylor said the KWT shared the KM Charity Team’s commitment to promoting green travel, and that he hoped some walkers would consider doing the challenge for the trust.

He said: ““We’re big fans of KM Charity Team’s green travel work and encourage all parents to consider if their children can walk to school, even if it’s just one day a week.

“Not only will it save petrol and money; it will help our children and environment to become healthier by becoming more active and removing cars from the already congested roads.”

He added: “Over 90 pence of every £1 raised for the Kent Wildlife Trust goes towards our charitable activities.

“Just £100 would allow targeted planting of hedgerows and clearing of scrubland to allow flowers, birds, insects and reptiles to flourish.”

Any individual raising more than £200 will be entered into a prize draw to win two free Eurostar tickets.

The cost is £11.50 for adults for online bookings, and £15 otherwise. There is a £1.50 discount when using the code KMNews19. Children go free.

The walk also offers young people the chance to take part in the inaugural Ted’s Scarecrow Challenge.

Schools, clubs and charities are being invited to create scarecrows for a special trail that will be part of the walk.

Participants in the walk will vote to decide which is the best scarecrow submitted for the trail, with £150 going to the most popular. A panel of judges will also award £100 to their favourite scarecrow.

Scarecrows must be finished by Friday, May 17.

In addition to the KWT and Mote House, the walk is supported by headline partner Specsavers and Benenden Hospital Trust, Maidstone Ramblers, Maidstone Riverside Rotary, Simply Ice Cream, the Woodstove Trading Company, the Wellbeing People and Stronger Kent Communities.

For KM Charity Walk bookings and information, or to register for the scarecrow challenge, see kmcharitywalk.co.uk or contact KM Charity Team events and fundraising officer Sophie Wallace at swallace@thekmgroup.co.uk.