A NOVEL idea for a calendar has been thought up to promote Alveston.

Alveston Parish Council, in combination with other local groups, has released a walking calendar for 2015 with a twist.

Any community group or business could sponsor one month of the calendar and in return were given a number of calendars to sell at cost price, as well as having that months walk include their group, if possible.

Each month includes a walk around the Alveston area with a detailed map and full instructions.

All of the walks included in the calendar were walked by members of the team behind the calendar to make sure they were suitable for inclusion.

The calendar was the brainchild of Graham Smith, Marcus Fry and Peter Waller, who work for AlvestonCommunity Forum and Alveston Parish Council.

It was designed with the intention of promoting the village and making people more aware of both walking routes around Alveston and community groups within it whilst also raising some extra funds for the council.

Graham Smith, who helped design the calendar, said: “This is a real community-based calendar. We worked with local groups and businesses not just to help us keep our costs down but also to help give a mention to some groups who people may be unaware of.

“This is our first ever calendar and if it’s successful hopefully we will arrange another one for next year.

“Nowadays the council has a lot less money to use on projects around the village so we are having to come up with new projects to help us raise money.

“This calendar is something really different. We’re thinking outside the box so that we aren’t just reliant on funding from the government.”

The calendar is available to purchase at: http://www.alveston.org/alveston/alveston-walking-calendar.