How do I add my walk to the website and newsletter?
Submit your walk details using this form. You’ll need to submit your name and email address, a title for your walk, description, dates and a link to where to book. You’ll also need to upload a photo that’s portrait mode. You can then select for your walk to appear on the Our Walks page, the newsletter or both.
How can I get my walks promoted on Islington Guided Walks social media channels?
We have a small group of volunteers managing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. If you tag/mention our accounts in your posts they will try to share your content. Below are a few tips for each platform. If any of our social media accounts are not following you please send a message to the relevant account.
Make sure you like/follow the Islington Guided Walks Facebook page. We will always aim to follow you back and then share relevant content that appears in our feed.
If you create Facebook event pages for your walks, always add Islington Guided Walks as a co-host. Once approved, your walk will then appear on our Facebook events page too.
The easiest way to let us know about your events or blog posts etc via Twitter is to mention or tag @IslingtonWalks in your tweets. We will then always try to retweet you. It’s worth remembering that if you are adding images to your tweets, the recommended size is 1024 x 512 px.
It is harder to share other people’s content on Instagram compared to Twitter and Facebook. If you tag @IslingtonWalks in your posts we will try to add them to our Insta stories.
How do I submit a new blog post for Islington Guided Walks site?
If you would like to write something for the website blog please contact Nigel Smith – [email protected].
How do I add or amend my Guiding Profile?
We encourage all guides to have a profile on the Islington Guided Walks website. You can send details for your profile via this form. If your details change please use the same form to amend your profile.
How do I update my contact details?
To change the email address CIGA uses to contact you please do so via this page on Mailchimp.
What does the Insurance Policy Cover?
A single policy covers the main guiding associations in London. It is designed to meet the needs of membership associations providing walking tours and lectures seeking insurance protection in respect of legal liabilities they may face from third parties where they have suffered illness, injury, or death, or damage to or loss of property, for which it is legally liable. (Public liability).
The Public Liability cover is £5 million.
The insurance covers guiding both inside and outside buildings in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (but not off-shore); as long as this does not include high-risk buildings (such as nuclear / military sites) or boats over 8 metres long.
Exemptions and exclusions apply including for contagious diseases and cyber security.
Guides are assumed to be self employed and the insurance does not apply whilst a member is employed by any other organisation, as that organisation should be providing insurance.
The maximum group size is 30 people.
This brief summary is for general information only. You should not rely on this but refer to the current certificate of insurance and schedule which is available via the Documents page of our website.
When and where is the next CIGA meeting?
CIGA meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month and typically will feature a guest speaker. Details of each meeting are announced in advance via the members newsletter. Meetings usually take place in Islington Town Hall, but may also be in other local venues or online.
How do I get access to the Clerk’s Well?
Keys for access to the Clerk’s Well are held at the St John’s Gate Museum and the Charterhouse. You’ll need your badge and membership card to collect. You must also read the Clerk’s Well safety fact sheet before visiting the well. Please look at the Clerk’s Well folder on our Documents page for more details.
What guiding opportunities does CIGA offer?
Site-specific tours
CIGA has relationships with a number of local buildings and organisations to offer specific tours. The way in which guides are recruited varies greatly.
Canonbury Tower
Tours take place twice a month on Wednesdays and Fridays.
The team of CIGA guides changes every 2-3 years. The current team is new in 2023.
Team leader: Caroline Raby
Health & History walks (via Islington council)
These shorter, gentler walks in local green spaces in the borough are a joint initiative with Islington Council. They are free to end users although we are paid by the Council. In 2023, there are walks in a different park on the last Friday of each month.
Team leaders: Oonagh Gay and Susan Hahn
St Mary’s Church
Regular tours of the church started in 2023 and a team is in place.
Team leader: Chris Annus
St John’s Gate
St John’s Gate recruit guides as employees as and when they need them. There are no vacancies at the moment.
The Charterhouse
The Charterhouse recruits guides as and when they need them.
Commissioned walks
We are occasionally asked by organisations or companies to run private tours in the area. On these occasions the Secretary will email all CIGA members for expressions of interest and select the guide who best meets the brief.
I have a question that’s not answered here…
Please contact membership secretary Caroline Raby ([email protected]) who will try to answer your question