Walking back to happiness ....
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A RURAL Highland project which aims to promote health and wellbeing through walking has received a funding boost.
And among those to benefit are groups in Tongue and Brora plus new initiatives elsewhere in Sutherland.
Think Nature Health Walks has received grants from walking charity Paths for All’s Walking for Health Fund and also its Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund.
Alongside funding from the Highland Green Health Partnership (HGHP), the grants will support 10 existing weekly walking groups and establish new ones.
The funding will be used to employ a full-time Health Walk Coordinator to manage volunteer-led Health Walks in Tongue, Ballachulish, Caol, Dunvegan, Lochalsh and South Skye, Portree, Spean Bridge, Thurso, and Wick and create new groups in Caithness and Sutherland as well as Skye, Lochalsh, Wester Ross and Lochaber.
They will also provide training for the existing independent groups in Brora and Dunbeath.
The walking project fits alongside the HGHP’s aims to develop green health referrals with GPs to prescribe walking as a health intervention, working in partnership with local organisations.
Ailsa Villegas, senior health development officer with HGHP said: “The key aim is to encourage daily contact with nature for improved health and wellbeing, and walking is one of the easiest ways of achieving this. Time outdoors can improve our physical and mental health and walking as part of a group creates social connections that tackle loneliness – something that has a significant impact on the wellbeing of people living in remote and rural areas.
To find your nearest Health Walk, visit www.pathsforall.org.uk/healthwalkfinder
