Fancy meeting some friendly people and leading them on walks in and around Bridport?
Bridport Health Walks is run by a group of volunteers and managed by Dorset Council, and is just one of around 400 similar schemes nationwide. The scheme offers gentle walks around the town, led by trained volunteers, on level ground with no steep hills or gates to climb over. They are ideal for those that want to meet people and get a bit more active.
The walks take place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10.30am, meeting and finishing at The Borough Gardens, Gundry Lane (off South Street), Bridport. Each walk takes around half an hour and the pace set to suit the group on the day, with a slightly shorter walk taking place on the first Tuesday of every month. The group usually goes for refreshments after in a local café or pub, and everyone is welcome to come along.
The role of the volunteers is to lead and promote the walks. The main duties include taking registers, checking out new routes, chatting to walkers, making everyone welcome and making sure no one is left on their own. One of the walk leaders will stay at the back of the group so those that want to take it slowly have some company and return safely.
The walks are part of a national programme with over 8,000 walk leaders supporting schemes around the country. All volunteers are required to undertake free training, which involves a couple of hours of learning on your own to introduce you to the scheme, shadowing a scheduled walk, plus a training workshop where you find out about the practicalities of being a walk leader – this can be attended online or in person.
The next face to face training session in Bridport is scheduled for Thursday 7 October, 9.30am to 1pm. More dates are available elsewhere in Dorset and there are many more online, all available to Bridport volunteers.
Potential volunteers are encouraged to go along to one of the weekly walks in Bridport to see if this is something they would like to be involved with. Being part of Bridport Health Walks is a great way to be active, meet up with others and get to know Bridport.
If you want to go along to one of the walks, just turn up about 10 minutes before the start to fill in a short form. No need to book.
Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services, said:
“Safe exercise and socialising are two of the best things we can all do to look after our health and wellbeing, especially given the challenges we have all faced over the past 18 months. Bridport Health Walks is a free and friendly scheme that helps people get active and meet others, and we want to hear from anybody who could help us promote and lead these great activities. Either drop us line or come along to one of the walks to see what it’s all about.”
For more information about walking or to register your interest in volunteering please contact Sarah Davies:
01305 252222
sarah.davies@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
More information about Bridport Health Walks can be found on the Walking for Health website.
