17/04/2012 - Permalink

Walking for Health leader training event in Oswestry

Related topics: Leisure, culture and heritage

Enthusiatic walkers, or people who just generally love the outdoors, are invited to come to a Walking for Health (WfH) voluntary walk leaders training event on Friday 27 April 2012 at Castle View, Oswestry.

Organised by Shropshire Council’s Walking for Health (north Shropshire) team, the event is from 9.30am to 3.30pm. 

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for active and healthy lifestyles, said:

“Due to their popularity we want to increase the number of walks in Shropshire in the near future, and for us to do this we need more volunteer walk leaders.  If you enjoy walking with other people and believe the social element is just as important as the exercise, then please consider becoming a volunteer and come along to the training event on Friday 27 April.” 

WfH encourages people, particularly those who don’t take much exercise, to become physically active in their local communities and offers free regular short walks over easy terrain with trained walk leaders.  It has a weekly walking programme throughout north Shropshire, including two in Oswestry, and includes:

  • Mondays 10am at Shawbury Village Hall and 3pm at Edinburgh House, Wem.
  • Tuesdays 10.30am at Hadnall Village Hall and 2pm at Gatacre Sports Pavillion, Oswestry (check first, as sometimes starts from other locations).
  • Wednesdays 10am at Ellesmere Canal Wharf and Whitchurch Civic Centre, 11am at Admiral Duncan, Baschurch (2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month), and 1pm at Raven House, Market Drayton (1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month).
  • Thursdays 10.30am at Lorne Sreet, Senior Citizens Club, Oswestry.

The WfH scheme launched in 2000 is currently run by Natural England.  Management of the scheme will be passed to The Ramblers and Macmillan Cancer Support, who took over the scheme from 1 April. 2012.

For further information or to book a place at the event, contact Liz Evans, walking co-ordinator for north Shropshire, on 01743 255059 or email liz.evans@shropshire.gov.uk.