Walking for Health in the Forest of Dean has just celebrated its 5th Birthday. Over 60 people met for a walk from Yorkley Institute, led by Walk Leader Jenny Weatherill, and returned for a barbecue and refreshments afterwards.
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| Jenny briefing the walkers |
Walking for Health is an England-wide network to help people get walking and get healthy. It has been running for over 12 years. Here in the Forest of Dean the local scheme was set up six years ago by Tess Tremlett of the Forest of Dean District Council and five years ago the local scheme was awarded the national accreditation. Tess said " Its wonderful to see how the scheme has gone from strength to strength with more trained walk leaders, more regular walks and new walkers joining all the time."
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| Tess cutting the cake with walk leaders watching! |
Last year the scheme was handed over to a group of volunteer co-ordinators who have trained and mentored walk leaders, promoted the scheme at various events, applied for small amounts of grant funding, collected data on the scheme, encouraged all sorts of walkers and maintained links with the national Walking for Health organisation.
Regular walker Ann Gillespie said " I have been walking with Walking for Health for over five years. These walks have helped me lose weight and control my diabetes, and, best of all, I have made lots of new friends as well. I trained to be a walk leader a couple of years ago and now help out on one of the walks when I'm needed. It a great scheme." Ann is on the far right of the cake picture.
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| Walk Leader Chris with grandson Isaac |
Walking for Health walks are organised volunteer led walks which aim to improve your health. They are suitable for everyone and free take part in. Anyone interested in joining a Health Walk, or volunteering to undergo free training as a walk leader and starting a new walk, can contact Kim Spencer on 562240 or go to www.walkingforhealth.org.uk to find your nearest walk.
