Natural England - Volunteers needed to encourage Healthy Walking
Volunteers needed to encourage Healthy Walking
22 July 2010
Natural England is this week urging people from across the North West to volunteer to become a walk leader in their community as part of the Walking for Health initiative.
The Walking for Health (WfH) programme encourages people to enjoy local natural spaces in their community and improve their health by taking part in health walks. Natural England is the largest national body promoting and setting standards for led health walks, supporting over 210 regular walks in the North West.
In order for the scheme to be successful, volunteers are needed to lead local walks and over 45,000 people from across the country have been trained as walk leaders since the scheme began in 2004.
There is a huge variety of walks already taking place in the North West and anybody can turn up and join in completely free of charge. The vast majority of walks are low gradient, suitable for beginners.
Anybody wanting to train as a walk leader will receive all training on aspects of starting their own walking group, in addition to health and safety.
Ron Kermode leads a walk near to his home in Liverpool. Encouraging others to volunteer, he says, “ I volunteered for the Walk for Health Liverpool scheme at the very beginning back in 2002. I have volunteered throughout my life, helping people with brain injuries at the Glaxo Centre in the City and wanted to see what Walk for Health was like. I really enjoy the walks and found it was a great way to meet new people and get out and about, so much so I’m never in now. I lead about 4 or 5 walks a week and we go for a cup of tea and a chat afterwards.
“I would tell anyone thinking of volunteering to go for it, it’s really easy, great fun and it keeps you fit. I’m in my 70s but feel at fit as a flea!”
Andy Ireland, Walking for Health Co-ordinator added, “The idea of the scheme is that it is open to everybody and I would encourage people to come along and have a go. We have over 250 dedicated volunteers and work with a wide range of partners.”
Anybody interested in volunteering to lead a health walk, please contact: Rachel Swale, Tel: 0300 060 4534.
Health walks take place throughout the region. To find out about walks near you, visit the Walking for Health website.
Notes to Editors
For further information or interviews please contact
Alexa Prescott at Natural England's press office on: 07919 165 142 or alexa.prescott@naturalengland.org.uk
The Natural Health Service Manifesto
Natural England’s Natural Health Service manifesto is calling for the following:
To increase the number of households that are within five minutes’ walk of an area of green space covering at least two hectares about the size of two football pitches – the benchmark set by Natural England’s Access to Natural Green Space Standard (ANGST). The organisation is encouraging people to test the quality of their local parks by using its Greenspace Checker web questionnaire. By answering three simple questions anyone can get a measure of their access to green space: for more information go to our natural health service pages.
To make sure every GP or community nurse is able to refer patients to an approved health walk or outdoor activity programme targets for delivering these services are set by all primary care trusts and local authorities. Health professionals or members of the public wanting to know more about health walk schemes can find their nearest group on the Walking the Way to Health website.
Walking the Way to Health
Natural England’s Walking the way to Health encourages people to enjoy local natural spaces and benefit their health by taking part in health walks. Natural England is the largest national body promoting and setting the standards for led health walks, supporting over 525 local health walk schemes.
