THE countdown has begun to Sunday's 130 Challenge, which Trowbridge Chamber, the group which represents over 100 businesses in the town, hopes will raise over a third of the £35,000 needed to keep the doors open this summer.

"If the Town Hall is allowed to close the town will be missing its beating heart,” Chamber president Tracy Parker said. “We felt we had to rally businesses to do something positive to help.”

The 130 Challenge, because it is 130 years since Sir Roger Brown gave the Hall to the townspeople, will see at least 130 people who own or work in Trowbridge businesses, or who want to support the campaign and keep the hall open, tackle a figure-of-eight walk around the town, centred on the Market Street Hall, walking either 10k or 5k and each raising at least £130.

“Iif 130 people each raise £130 then that’s £16,950. That will help secure the Hall’s future – and if we get more people, or they raise more than that each, the event could save the Hall completely for this year," Ms Parker said.

"I know the people of Trowbridge are behind the hall, and I know we can do it.”

At 1.30pm on Sunday, June 24, the 130 walkers will set off from the Town Hall steps, walking a five kilometre loop before returning to the Hall, where they then set out on a second loop to complete the 10k route.

“People can walk 5k or 10, whichever they want to tackle,” Tracy said. “And because the Hall is part of our arts scene, we’ll be asking walkers to take pictures along the way which will be put on Instagram, and used to create a final piece of artwork which will go on display in the Hall.

“And the businesses taking part can use those Instagram pictures for their own social media publicity purposes: it’s a perfect example of how having the Town Hall as an arts focus for this town benefits business.

“Whatever your business is, whatever your connection with the town is, we need people to support this challenge, we don’t want to see the hall close.

“We are so lucky here to have the Town Hall right in the centre of Trowbridge, where it makes a real contribution to the community and business life.

“So many towns have arts centres which are out of town but ours is right here and it has a big effect on business.”

Ms Parker, who runs the independent Leykers coffee shop just a stone’s throw from the Town Hall, has already collected donations towards the Challenge target from her customers.

If you live, work or run a business in Trowbridge, to support the 130 Challenge and help save the Hall, joining in is simple: go to the Chamber’s website at www.trowbridgechamber.co.uk and sign up to take part. Registration will be from 1pm on June 24, the walk starts at 1.30pm and you’ve got three hours to cover 10k or 5k.

If you can’t walk yourself but want to help, they need volunteers to organise and marshall the event and hand out water to walkers, email trowbridgechamber@gmail.com and there is also a Local Giving page at https://localgiving.org/fundraising/130challenge/