Residents' boots were made for walking at Hurst
There was not a walking boot or blister in sight when residents and special guests celebrated the 10th anniversary of Wokingham Borough’s Health Walks at Dinton Pastures Country Park on Saturday.
More than 850 people have walked thousands of miles since the walks were launched in the borough in July 1998, and to celebrate the healthy walking scheme’s anniversary more than 95 people joined in a picnic at the Hurst country park on Saturday afternoon (July 5).
As well as the picnic there was an awards ceremony to honour several of the scheme’s stalwarts and walk leaders, and two of the volunteers were presented with engraved goblets by Mayor of the Wokingham Borough Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons.
Brian Martin, Brian Wooldridge and Brian Thornby have been honoured for their hard work in keeping the health walks afoot in the borough, alongside Wokingham Borough Council’s countryside service.
Other special guests included the founder of the international Health Walks scheme Dr William Bird – who had travelled to the Wokingham Borough from the USA especially for the celebrations and executive member for the environment Cllr Simon Weeks.
Nationally there has been a decline in the walking schemes, which aim to provide health benefits and reduce the chance of heart disease and osteoporosis through a variety of enjoyable walks, but the scheme in the Wokingham Borough is stronger than ever with more and more people pulling on their walking boots each week.
During the 10 years that the scheme has been running residents who have taken part have collectively:
· Burned off 18,304,000 calories - that is the same as eating 397,913 Jaffa Cakes!
· Walked 245,960 miles. That is the same as walking around the world 10 times and is further than walking to the moon!
· 52,000 cups of tea have been drunk during the walks, which is more than 10 per cent of the tea that is drunk at Wimbledon per year!
Additionally the walk leaders have given up a total of 4,754 volunteer days, which is the equivalent to 13 volunteer years.
Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for environment, said: “Health Walks in the Wokingham Borough are a really popular way of exercising and so we wanted to commemorate the 10 years that it has been providing many residents, young and old, with an alternative way to keep fit and healthy.
“The celebration was really well attended and we were really pleased that Dr William Bird was able to attend – as he is the founder of the scheme, without him Wokingham Borough residents wouldn’t have been able to enjoy a decade of health walks.”
Mayor of the Wokingham Borough Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, added: “It was a real honour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the health walks and recognise the hard work of the walk leaders who volunteer their time to keep the scheme running. Without their dedication the popular scheme wouldn’t be able to continue.
“It is really important for people to exercise to enable them to remain healthy, and therefore independent, as they become older and it is never too early, or too late, to start. The health walks are also a marvellous way to make new friends."
More than 850 people have walked thousands of miles since the walks were launched in the borough in July 1998, and to celebrate the healthy walking scheme’s anniversary more than 95 people joined in a picnic at the Hurst country park on Saturday afternoon (July 5).
As well as the picnic there was an awards ceremony to honour several of the scheme’s stalwarts and walk leaders, and two of the volunteers were presented with engraved goblets by Mayor of the Wokingham Borough Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons.
Brian Martin, Brian Wooldridge and Brian Thornby have been honoured for their hard work in keeping the health walks afoot in the borough, alongside Wokingham Borough Council’s countryside service.
Other special guests included the founder of the international Health Walks scheme Dr William Bird – who had travelled to the Wokingham Borough from the USA especially for the celebrations and executive member for the environment Cllr Simon Weeks.
Nationally there has been a decline in the walking schemes, which aim to provide health benefits and reduce the chance of heart disease and osteoporosis through a variety of enjoyable walks, but the scheme in the Wokingham Borough is stronger than ever with more and more people pulling on their walking boots each week.
During the 10 years that the scheme has been running residents who have taken part have collectively:
· Burned off 18,304,000 calories - that is the same as eating 397,913 Jaffa Cakes!
· Walked 245,960 miles. That is the same as walking around the world 10 times and is further than walking to the moon!
· 52,000 cups of tea have been drunk during the walks, which is more than 10 per cent of the tea that is drunk at Wimbledon per year!
Additionally the walk leaders have given up a total of 4,754 volunteer days, which is the equivalent to 13 volunteer years.
Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for environment, said: “Health Walks in the Wokingham Borough are a really popular way of exercising and so we wanted to commemorate the 10 years that it has been providing many residents, young and old, with an alternative way to keep fit and healthy.
“The celebration was really well attended and we were really pleased that Dr William Bird was able to attend – as he is the founder of the scheme, without him Wokingham Borough residents wouldn’t have been able to enjoy a decade of health walks.”
Mayor of the Wokingham Borough Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, added: “It was a real honour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the health walks and recognise the hard work of the walk leaders who volunteer their time to keep the scheme running. Without their dedication the popular scheme wouldn’t be able to continue.
“It is really important for people to exercise to enable them to remain healthy, and therefore independent, as they become older and it is never too early, or too late, to start. The health walks are also a marvellous way to make new friends."
Wokingham Borough Council
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