Could you be a Walk Leader?

We are running free a Walk Leader training day on Wednesday, 16th April in Coleford. Here are some thoughts from Sue Skinner, one of our newer walk leaders, on her training and setting up a walk.

I have always enjoyed walking in the countryside and have long felt the benefits of fresh air and exercise. However, a year ago I never thought I would be leading regular health walks as a trained Walking for Health Leader in my local community, along with a group of enthusiastic friends, neighbours and brand new friends!

I had enjoyed doing a couple of health walks elsewhere in the Forest of Dean, but no-one was running a walk in my area. Thanks to encouragement from our local Scheme Co-ordinator I volunteered to train to be come a leader. This was both easy and enjoyable, and it's amazing how much more information I now have at my fingertips about why walking is so beneficial in so many ways.

A Walk Leader training session, with Sue, standing, on the left.

The only scary bit of the training was when it came to leading someone else's walk, in order to "earn my spurs" and set up my own local walk. Not to worry, I had experienced walk leaders Kim and Graham to hand to give support and encouragement - oh and yes, to present me with about 30 eager walkers to lead on a route I didn't know! This is where my brand new blue Walk for Health whistle came in handy. The walkers had been well-briefed to behave and be nice to me, so all went well and I was duly presented with my WfH certificate. Oh yes, and I have been joined by two more new walk leaders: my husband, Richard, and my friend Anne.

Kim Spencer, Scheme Coordinator, Sue Skinner, Graham Spencer (Walk Leader Trainer) and Richard Skinner
on the day we risk assessed the new walk

Our walk in Sedbury began in October last year, tentatively, as twice a month with about 4 - 6 walkers. By December there were 19 of us having a slap-up Christmas meal together in the local pub after a sunny morning health walk. So now we have decided to be bold and run walks every week, leaving the Village Inn Pub in Sedbury at 2pm every Thursday.

A January walk in Sedbury

So if any walkers are reading this and would like to become a walk leader, I really urge you to give it a go - you have nothing to lose and lots of new friends to gain.

Ring Graham Spencer on 01594 562240 to find out more about the training day.

Lunch at The Fountain

Paul Chapman, one of the regular walkers on the Bream Health Walk has sent us this. Sounds as though everyone had a good time.

It was all cheer and bon ami in Parkend's Fountain Inn where the Bream Group met for their Annual lunch.

The Fountain Inn, Parkend

Those wishing to walk arrived at 12:00 and proceeded to walk the Cannop Ponds route along the disused railway bed, now a cycle trail. It was a timed linear walk of 30 minutes returning to the Fountain Inn, I suspect, at a faster rate in anticipation of the impending feast.

Walk leaders Pam Heathcote, Anne McDonald and Len Humphries, accompanied us through the occasional shallow flood, but otherwise it was an exhilarating brisk walk. The adjacent stream which drains nearby Cannop Ponds was running high. Two days later, when my wife Joan, daughter Teena and myself found the same track inundated we had to turn back. The stream was running a very strong current.

The Cycle Trail (above) and the nearby stream

Following the meal, Len thanked everyone for coming and referred to the continued success of the Bream Walking for Health Group with special reference to Barbara, Kim and Graham, the local organisers, for their keen support. 

Finally, the staff at the Fountain received enthusiastic plaudits for the really hard work in producing and serving hot and tasty meals and ensuring the comfort and well-being of everyone. 

Well done all at the Fountain!

Les and Linda

We thought readers might like to meet some of the people who actually walk on our walks so here is the first of a short series of such stories.

Les Simmons heard about Walking for Health at his local diabetic support group where he met Ann Gillespie, a regular walker and assistant Walking for Health walk leader in the Forest of Dean. She told Les about the local health walks and how they had helped her manage her diabetes and her blood pressure, and encouraged him to join a walk.

Ready for our Thursday walk in Lydney

Linda Simmons heard about Walking for Health at her local Slimming World and started going along with regular walker, Amy, as a way of getting more active, losing some weight and improving her fitness.

They went along to their first health walk three years ago and now they go regularly, two or three times a week. During the school holidays they often take their grandchildren along too. Les says “I have been able to manage my diabetes by taking regular exercise (Health Walks) and by managing my diet.  Linda and I often go to the same walk, but, because we walk at different speeds, we rarely walk together. We usually end up having coffee together with the other walkers and always go home together!”

Les and Linda are ‘incomers’ to the area and have found the Walking for Health walks a great way of making new friends and building a personal network for themselves. Linda told us “The social side of the health walks  is as important as the physical activity. Its easy to chat to people while you walk along and then there’s always plenty of chat over a cuppa afterwards.”

Walking Works, a report commissioned by Walking for Health and supported by Public Health England, demonstrates that walking is the easiest and best way of getting people active. It can be downloaded here http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/get-walking/walking-works

Locally, there are organised Health Walks across Gloucestershire and details can be found here http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder - just type in a postcode to find the nearest.

From Green Hut to Wooden Shed

Jenny Weatherill set up our Yorkley walk in May 2012. For some 80 weeks 25 or so walkers have met every Wednesday at Yorkley Village Hall, known locally as the Green Hut. (Thats over 2000 individual walks!)

A sunny start to an October walk from the Green Hut

The hall closed down at the end of the year because the Hall Management Committee have won £500,000 of Lottery funding to demolish it and build a new, purpose built hall. More details about this are on their website herehttp://www.communitycentreyorkley.co.uk . This has meant that Jenny and her walkers have had to find an alternative venue nearby. The Yorkley Star Cricket Club came to the rescue by offering their lovely pavilion - much more than a shed!

Yorkley Star Cricket Club

Jenny was really worried that the change of venue would mean that some walkers may no longer come along. Also, a very small cricket pavilion with two changing rooms (home and visitors), a couple of loos, and an urn do not offer quite the same space and facilitates as the Green Hut, however old, cold and leaky it was. Not one to be daunted, Jenny set about cleaning the pavilion, persuading the cricket club guys to dispose of bits of kit that was no longer used, scrubbed it from top to bottom, borrowed a couple of tables and some heaters. She collected together lots of mugs for tea and coffees - though some may say that 70 is rather too many!

As you can see, Jenny's efforts were well rewarded both in terms of the number of walkers (25) and how well everyone made themselves at home in the changing rooms! No worries!

Gathering for the walk

The 'home' dressing room - complete with table cloths and flowers!

One other thought. The slightly fuzzy photo below shows Jenny and the band of men she gets to make the tea and coffee and wash up for all the walkers. You might say 'why aren't they walking too?' but we think they are doing a sterling job. Thanks guys!

And there it is - gone!

What a beautiful summer we've had in this part of the world. Today is really autumnal and a little chilly so its a good time to remember some of our warmer days.

This summer has seen us attend several local events to publicise our Walking for Health Scheme. These are always great fun as the events themselves and usually worth going to, but, as a stall holder, its great to be able to chat to lots of people about what we do and how they can get involved. 

Naas Lane Community Centre, Lydney in June

Its always hard to know the real benefit of going to these events, but at worst its get people used to seeing us and, at best, we recruit new walkers and volunteers. On occasion we have even been offered some funding! And, of course, we get to visit the other stalls and attractions - a local networking opportunity!

A very hot July day at the Forest E-Act Academy

We were lucky to be able to borrow a flag banner from the national office which helped to attract attention and previous funding has enabled us to buy a display board. As part of our recent 5th birthday celebrations we put together a couple of photograph albums which people really love browsing through to see if there is anyone or anywhere they know. A great talking point!

A hot Bank Holiday Monday at Parkend Carnival

Last year we had a float in the Carnival and won £125! This year we didn't have the time to organise a float, or so many people to help out, but the Carnival was really busy and we met lots of people. Because of the cost of printing local leaflets we try to only give them to people who are really interested in Walking for Health. This works well as it means we need to get into conversation with people rather than just hand out leaflets.

Supported by an FODDC colleague at Hartpury  

Whilst FODDC no longer manage the scheme they are still very supportive. Here is Tess Tremlett, the Community Engagement Manager (on her way to a rugby match). Great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Thanks Tess!

If you would like to find a walk near you, click here Local Walks and type in your postcode. This link will also give you lots more information about Walking for Health, walks and volunteering.

5th Birthday Celebrations

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. 

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."
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.

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. 

Its not just about the walking.....

When, with two others, I took on the role of volunteer scheme coordinator for our local group, little did I realise how much there would be to do that wasn't just about walking. This may well be due to my inability to say 'no' but I thought I'd share some of what I have been up to in the last week as it's (mostly) great fun and very rewarding.

We were invited to a Community Fete at Lydney Community Centre on 1st June to talk to people about what we do. It was a lovely day, and we were lucky enough to have a Walking for Health flag banner to show who we were.

There was plenty of interest. We talked to lots of people, handed out leaflets and made some useful contacts. One person, Richard, turned out to be the local village agent for St Briavels, an area where we need a new walk. So, tomorrow, at Richard's suggestion, we are going to a drop-in cafe at St Briavels Village Hall to talk to villagers about the possibility of finding a walk leader and setting up a walk. I have just heard that Richard's wife would like to train as a leader so we have got off to a good start. Time well spent at the fete!

Later in the week we were invited to a 'Connecting People and Services' event in Cinderford. This was billed as a drop-in for health professionals to come and find out what local organisations have to offer. Sadly, there weren't as many professionals as we would have liked, but the networking opportunities were amazing! We have already had a couple of phone calls from organisations wanting to signpost people to our walks. The main need seems to be for carers and people with dementia (either together or separately). Lets hope we can help.

On Friday, having been asked by our Regional Coordinator for Walking for Health, Laura Brooks, I went with her to Telford to talk to the Walkabout Wrekin Walk Leaders here's a link. For the last 13 years their scheme has been run by the local authority who, from 30th June, will no longer be able to do so. To keep the scheme going the volunteer walk leaders need to work out how to run the scheme themselves. I hope I was able to put their minds at rest - we are living proof that volunteers can co-ordinate a Walking for Health scheme! Good luck Walkabout Wrekin.

Today, we led our Parkend walk which is really what Walking for Health is all about. Nice day, 25 walkers and a good natter over coffee afterwards. I love my 'job'.

Some of the Parkend walkers in 2012 - still walking!