Health Walk Scheme a reality for
Wantage and Grove
Residents in Wantage and Grove have welcomed the idea of having a Health Walk scheme. This was demonstrated by the large number of calls that have been received on the subject and the very good turn out that the Public Meetings attracted. Local GP Dr Phillip Ambler talked at the meetings and stressed the importance of reversing the trend of inactivity and becoming fitter and healthier, thus stemming the tide of medical conditions such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes which are often preventable. There were also moving testimony’s from people who have benefited from neighbouring Health Walk schemes. One of the walkers, Brian, explained how he has radically improved his life from being constantly breathless and uninterested in activity, to having just completed a walking holiday in Austria. The other walker, Judith, had been a fit and active person all her life but wanted to have the safety and support that a Health Walk scheme provides in order to recover from a hip replacement.
Health Walk schemes rely on local people coming forward and volunteering to lead walks for other people, a role which is both fun and surprisingly satisfying. The walks are very safe for people who have done little or no activity recently, or those who are recovering from an illness or operation. The reason why they are so safe is because there are 2 leaders on every walk and they receive training to ensure that they know how to tailor the walk for different people and enable everyone to enjoy the activity. We would love to recruit further volunteer leaders to enable this scheme to start off and continue with a flourish.
As a result of such an enthusiastic response to our taster walks last summer and our request for new leaders, we can now offer residents of Grove and Wantage two walks a week: Mondays at 10am at The Cornerstone Coffee Shop, Grovelands Shopping Centre, Savile Way, Grove and Thursdays at 10am at the Vale & Downland Museum, Church Street in Wantage. Please call either Stephanie Edlington 01235 767834 or Zoé Patrick 01235 768809 for further details.
Please contact Zoe Patrick on 01235 768809, or Anne Ambler on 01235 205588 if you would like to discuss the opportunity of being involved as a walk leader.
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