Walks are held in various places including the Quantock and Mendip Hills.
Why attend a health walk?
Walking is an excellent way of keeping healthy as it helps to aid both physical and mental health. Walking strengthens muscles and improve co-ordination, thus making it an ideal way of preventing falls in older age. The group also provides a forum to make new friends and explore the local area.
Who can attend, what does it cost and what should I bring?
All walks are open to all ages, there is no membership or booking needed and the walks are free of charge. Comfortable clothing, a drink and appropriate footwear are advisable.
What length are the walks and what are the difficulty levels?
The majority of walks are 2-4 miles in length and last from 1-2 hours. Each walk is rated with a difficulty level on our programme and indicates if it is wheelchair and buggy accessible. From September 2010, 'Monday Morning Amble' walks are being introduced with the aim of encouraging those wishing to walk shorter distances and at slower paces.
What times do the walks begin?
All walks leave the meeting place at 10:00am.
Our new programme commences on 06/09/2010 and can be viewed below.
Join the Community Development and wellbeing team as a volunteer walk leader
We are looking to recruit more volunteer walk leaders to support this successful programme. Two leaders are required for each walk and we ask that each leader attends at least one walk per month (however more than this is desirable).
What is required of a volunteer walk leader?
Each walk has an advertised meeting point and car parking is usually free of charge. Leaders are required to make their own way to the walks so access to car transport is essential. Travel expenses can be claimed back from Sedgemoor District Council to support this.
Each walk requires a 'route check' approximately one week before it's due to take place, so leaders must be able to adhere to this procedure. In addition to this, all walk leaders are required to attend a one day training course and an Emergency First Aid course before they can lead a walk for this programme. Training will be arranged for this by the Health Promotion Co-ordinator.
Volunteers should be friendly, confident with the public, able to walk at a moderate pace for up to 4 miles, and organised. There is a small amount of paperwork which needs completing for each walk and this must be sent back to the Health Promotion Co-ordinator promptly.
We would also like to hear from anyone who can't offer the commitment needed to be a walk leader but who would like to attend walks as support for walk leaders.
Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a volunteer walk leader or to attend as support for the walk leaders.
