Blisters, football fans and a 'vicious day' in Wales
Meet the Wimbledon legend crisscrossing the country
Good morning, Wimblers — I hope that we’re all having a lovely week.
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This week we’ve got your usual new snippets, a lovely property of the week and some recommendations for the weeks ahead. It may be quieter in Wimbledon because it’s August, but that doesn’t mean our locals are lazing about. This week, I spoke with Xavier Wiggins, co-founder of Dons Local Action Group. Xavier is currently walking to all 92 professional football league clubs in 92 days. A bonkers challenge! Xavier and I caught up about why he’s doing Walk92, the impact that football can have on the community, and why it’s important to follow a map (or else you might get pulled over by the Welsh police!).
Do keep sending me your ‘best spots in Wimbledon’. I’m hoping to compile a list that we can share and then debate: zak@thewimble.com.
Other than that, happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
🍺 Plough Lane pale ale lands at AFC Wimbledon. The Dons have a new partnership with Wimbledon Brewery, which sees them bringing their pale ale alongside their Wimbledon Lager to the Phoenix Pub, Speedway Bar, and Trap 6, a new East Stand Bar at the Cherry Red Records stadium. The move means that Wimbledon Brewery is now AFC Wimbledon’s official craft beer partner. Talk about keeping it local! Read more here.
🏥 Leading European healthcare provider Affidea has announced they will be opening a new state-of-the-art medical facility above the Wimbledon Quarter. This 30,000 sq ft clinic will be on the top floor of the old Debenhams (for those who can remember, that’s where the Debenhams café used to be). The private clinic should be opening some time in mid-2026 and will include a private GP service, urgent care clinic, advanced imaging department, outpatient treatment rooms and three theatres. Read the full press release here.
⭐️ Broadcasting legend Clare Balding is coming to Wimbledon next month to host a dog walk on Wimbledon Common. The walk is designed to promote her upcoming book, Pastures New. Tickets are just £3 per person and can be bought here. So grab a coffee, bring your dog and have a chat with Clare on Monday 8 September.
🔥 The London Fire Brigade has reissued safety tips after a grass fire broke out on Cedars Avenue, at the junction with Commonside East in Mitcham. The fire, which was reported at 3.07pm, saw more than 2500 metres of grass shrubland destroyed. Authorities from Mitcham, Peckham, Croydon and New Malden fire stations were deployed and had the blaze under control by 16.18pm. Read the brigade’s top tips here.
👍 Merton’s adult social care services have been rated ‘Good’ by independent regulator, the Care Quality Commission, in a report published last week. Inspectors examined how the council works with people and provides support, as well as safeguarding and leadership. Inspectors concluded that services are performing well and meeting their expectations. The finding also reinforces the findings from consumer group Which? that concluded Merton is the best place in London to retire to and one of the 12 best places in the UK for pensioners. Read more about the inspection in Merton’s press release.
❤️🩹 Have you heard about Merton’s recovery café? The Sunshine Recovery Café is open to adult residents of South West London (18+) who perceive themselves to be in a mental health crisis — or are at risk of moving into one. It offers a constructive and non-clinical alternative to A&E or admission to hospital. There’s also one-to-one support, a safe, non-judgemental space, signposting and referrals, and medium-term recovery support. The café is open every single day of the year, including Christmas — so if you or anyone you know is struggling, remember that help is always there. Read more about the Sunshine Recovery Café and others like it here.
Property of the week 🏡
There’s a lot going on with this property: four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, two gardens, high coffered ceilings, underfloor heating and oak parquet flooring. To put it lightly, it’s a pretty fancy pad. It’s also right by Wimbledon Common and Wimbledon Village. I’m in love with the hand-painted wallpaper. Where do you see homes like this anymore? Then again, I expect nothing less from a place that costs £3.3m. Check out more photos on Rightmove.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🎉
🥃 Japanese whisky masterclass: Japan has been producing some of the world’s best whiskies for well over a century. So take this chance to enjoy a rare masterclass with The House of Suntory and take a deep dive into the history of Japan’s whisky production. The talk will start with a Toki Highball welcome cocktail and will feature tastings of six components of the Hibiki Harmony whisky, as well as the very special Hakushu 12-year. Tickets cost £45 per person.
Where: Amathus, Wimbledon Village
When: Thursday 28 August, 6.30-8pm
☕️ Ladies Before Lunch at Wimbledon Guild: Your monthly get-together is back! Enjoy some brunch whilst you relax with friends (or make new ones). The activity is free — refreshments are available for a small charge at the Guild’s cafe. Details to book are here.
Where: Wimbledon Guild
When: Tuesday 2 September, 10am-12pm
🍺 Pub Quiz at the Fire Stables: This is one of Wimbledon’s most competitive pub quizzes; it calls for a team of the highest intellect (or ability to guess). Questions are on everything and anything. And the winning team gets a bar tab of £50. Not bad for a Sunday evening.
Where: Fire Stables
When: Sunday 24 August, 7-10pm
🥬 Wimbledon Village farmers’ market: Fresh produce is so important in today’s overly processed world. Get yourself up to the village this weekend to sample some of the finest fresh produce that South London has to offer. There will also be some ready-to-eat goodies for sale too.
Where: Wimbledon Village
When: Sunday 24 August, 10am-3pm
🌳 Wimbledon Common and village walk and talk: How often do we get a chance to meet our neighbours and just have a… chat? Well, these weekly walk and talks are a chance to do just that. They’re free and they’re for everyone, no matter your age. Make new friends and enjoy your local area and green spaces together. From older adults to young children, from buggies to beagles — this is just a lovely way to say hello to one another.
Where: Wimbledon War Memorial
When: Saturday 23 August, 10.30am
Meet the local legend walking to 92 football clubs in 92 days 💨
If you’ve been a loyal reader of The Wimble since the beginning, then some of you might recognise the name Xavier Wiggins. Xavier is the co-founder of Dons Local Action Group (DLAG) and Sport Local Action, and he has spent the past five years proving that the power of football can have a huge impact and create real change. (Check out one of our first-ever interviews with Xavier here.)
Now Xavier is taking on a new challenge: Walk92. And to put it bluntly, the challenge is a little bit mad. Xavier is walking to all 92 professional football league clubs in the EFL over 92 days. That’s a little over 2,000 miles. For reference, that’s essentially like walking from London to Egypt. Let that sink in. But whilst Xavier is the only one taking on the full challenge, Walk92 is open to anyone who wants to participate or donate. Participants can join for one leg or 13 legs — in fact, they don’t even have to walk with Xavier. It’s just about raising awareness for all the good that football does for our communities.
After hearing about Xavier’s mission, I knew I had to give him a call. When he picked up, he was somewhere between Leicester and Coventry. Here’s what he had to say.
The Wimble: Just briefly, how did Walk92 start? What made you want to do this?
Xavier: I’ve been an AFC Wimbledon fan, home and away, since I was 13. That’s about 40 years now. And the Wimbledon story has been amazing. It’s shown how football can benefit the community and vice versa. But I think football has become a bit vulgar in some parts: the Premier League, ticket prices, shirt prices, private equity. Some fans can’t afford to go anymore — some fans don’t want to go anymore. But that’s not what football is about.
I look back to 2020 and the beginning of Covid-19 when Craig, Cormac and I started Dons Local Action Group (DLAG). If three random blokes can create something like that from Wimbledon, then what can these other, bigger clubs do? So I looked into it and found out that clubs all across the country had foundations tackling some of the country’s biggest issues: knife crime, homelessness, mental health, loneliness, dementia. But a lot of people think these foundations are bankrolled by the clubs. They’re not. And they need support. I really think that if these organisations were taken away, then communities would suffer massively. So Walk92 is essentially a way of raising awareness about these foundations and charities, and it’s about supporting them as much as we can. Personally, I’m walking for DLAG, the Street Soccer Foundation and Sports Bank. But people joining in can walk for whoever they like.
We’re 17 days into your 92-day walk. How are you holding up?
If it had all been like days two and three, I’d be worried. Day two was wet. I had my rucksack on me. We got lost. We used a different map. We ended up in fields. We couldn’t see the stars through the trees. We had big blood blisters all over our feet. And we were totally unprepared. It was like a Carry On film: Carry On 92! Day three was the first day on my own, and I did 29 miles when I should have done 27 because I got lost on a totally inappropriate road. It was some slip road, and the Welsh police pulled me over with a siren and dropped me back where I got lost. That was a vicious day. But things have been better since then. I’ve learnt a lot of lessons. My body is recovering far quicker, but there’s always something that hurts [laughs].
What has your routine been like?
I’m walking between six and ten hours every day. The six hours are fine but it’s those next few hours that feel tough, and it’s there where you need to call on your reserves and look at your phone and see that people are encouraging or sponsoring you. A mate just offered to pay for my hotel tonight. Some people are offering to take my rucksack from one leg to the other. Also, people have been checking in on me every day, and that’s been a humbling experience.
But you won’t always be walking alone?
No, there will be parts where people join me. Another Wimbledon fan, Michael Lonergan, is coming on the Shrewsbury to Wrexham leg. He’s doing 13 legs, actually. Michael is quite open about his story. His son, Jack, tragically died from cardiac arrest in 2021 after watching the game at Plough Lane. Michael’s 13 legs are about visiting the grounds that his son, Jack, was never able to visit. After Jack died, Michael started the Jack Lonergan Foundation — a foundation that delivers free music lessons to people in low-income households. And DLAG provides some of the instruments for that. So Michael is walking for that as well as the Street Soccer Foundation and Sports Bank. (Find Michael’s donation page here.)
We’ve heard about some tough moments, but tell us about your best moments so far?
I’ve seen some really beautiful places on this walk. What’s really lovely is when you’re walking through a quiet village. The Cotswolds was great for that. And then when you find a good trail or a scenic path… that makes all the difference. But I suppose my happiest moment so far was when I walked into Watford. I knew I was meeting my wife that evening in St Albans, but she was already there with her sister and my nephews. And I also got a lovely reception from the team at Watford. But when you’re walking this far and for this long, even the small things, like a flat half-hour path, can make your day.
Support Xavier’s walk here! And make sure to check out Walk92’s website.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked you which famous author from our list lived in Wimbledon. The answer: Philip Kerr
Q: When did The Black Lamb open in Wimbledon?
Call-out for readers 📢
We’re looking to speak to any of our readers who are social media managers. Get in touch if you or someone that you know is a social media aficionado and looking for a new, exciting opportunity. All responses should be sent to: zak@thewimble.com.
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition. Donate or share Xavier’s crowdfunder here. And keep sending in your “best spots in Wimbledon”. The responses have been great so far. Other than that, have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you next Thursday!
Hi, how do you read the article about Xavier? I've downloaded substack, but all I get is your intro. Where is the link to the article?
Lovely inspiring article about Xavier Wiggins, it’s so good to hear stories about people with good hearts these days!❤️