Walking

Health Walks - Improve your health, make friends

Please see: Health Walks - Improve your health, make friends.

Health Walks Volunteer Leaders

Please see: Health Walks Volunteer Leaders.

The Great Western Community Forest team is creating a green network of woodlands, open spaces and areas for wildlife. This will create a greener and healthier environment that will bring pleasure to people for generations to come.

It’s good to walk, especially in a green environment, new research clearly shows that walking is the ideal way to increase the level of physical activity needed to maintain health, fitness and mental well-being for people of all ages.

How far and how often:

The current recommendation for physical activity is:

• 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week is all it takes to feel the difference.
• ‘Brisk’ walking means walking so that you breathe a little faster, feel warmer and have a slightly faster heartbeat
• It doesn’t need to be difficult and you should still be able to hold a conversation

Walking is the perfect activity for health. It can:

• Make you feel good
• Give you more energy
• Help you sleep better
• Help you reduce stress
• Keep your heart strong
• Reduce blood pressure
• Help to manage your weight
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce the risk of developing certain cancers

So why walk?

• It’s the sure safe way to health and fitness
• It’s a chance to meet people and make friends
• Almost everyone can do it
• You can do it anywhere and any time
• You don’t need any equipment – apart from comfortable walking shoes
• There’s very little risk of injury
• It doesn’t hurt
• You can start slowly and build up gently
• It’s free and it’s easy

Health Walks Improve your health, make friends

Health Walks are short walks, taken on a regular basis at your own pace making you breathe a little faster, feel warmer and have a slightly faster heart beat. The intensity should be comfortable and you should still be able to talk ! Active Swindon Health Walks are companionable, preferably in a green environment, normally 30-40 minutes, followed by an opportunity to socialise. The current programme includes Penhill, Pinehurst and Broad Green, but the intention is to have a wide range of walks for different groups and places.

Health Walks are taking place:

Mondays: John Moulton Hall, Penhill Drive, Penhill. SN2 5DU. Meet at 10am, step out 10.15 to 10.50am. Or Lower Shaw Farm, Old Shaw Lane. SN5 5PJ. Meet at 4pm, step out 4.15pm to 5pm.

Tuesdays: Broad Green Community Centre Centre, Broad Street, Swindon. SN1 2AN. Meet at 10am, step out 10.15 to 10.50am.

Thursdays: Eldene Community Centre, Eldene Drive. SN3 3RZ. Meet at 2.30pm. Or Middleaze, Saltway Centre, Pearl Road. Meet at 2.15pm, step out 2.30 to 3.10pm.

All walks are followed by tea or coffee. Just turn up, come alone or with friends. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact Nan on Tel: 01793 466202, mobile: 07919111479 or by email: npratt@swindon.gov.uk.

Health Walks Volunteer Leaders

Health Walks are for anyone who wishes, or needs, to increase their physical activity and thus benefit from improved health. For greatest benefits, the walks are at a brisk pace, set by the individual walker, but brisk enough to feel some effort, with the front leader keeping pace with the faster walkers and the back-marker ensuring that no one is overstretched. The goal is to walk for up to 40 minutes ideally though the countryside. Active Swindon is currently recruiting volunteers to become walk leaders. Some may wish to lead planned walks and others may like to set up groups where they live.

Trained walk leaders will receive the ongoing support from the Active Swindon team. Nan Pratt from Active Swindon is looking to train and support local volunteers. If you are interested or know anyone who may be, please contact Nan on Tel: 01793 466202 or by email: npratt@swindon.gov.uk.

Walking links

For more information on walking, see the Walking for Health website (www.whi.org.uk)

The Swindon and North Wiltshire Timberland Trails leaflets describe walks in Wroughton, Chiseldon and Purton and the Woodlands on your Doorstep leaflets give details of woodlands with public access in your area. To access these leaflets available as downloadable pdf's, go to the Get Stuff page.