Primary - Securing health benefits 2009 Epping Life Walks

1. Project Title
Epping Life Walks

2. List the main RWS theme(s) relevant to your project
Quality of Life

3. Short Project Description
Epping Life walks is a Walking for Health Scheme delivered by Epping Forest District Council as part of the national Walking the Way to Health programme (WHI). Its aim is to encourage people, particularly those who take little or no exercise to do regular short walks in their local communities.

4. Project Status
On-going

5. What has been undertaken to date?
The scheme has been running since April 2001 and offers 5 health walks a week (ranging from 1 to 3 miles). Each walk attracts between 20 and 30 walkers and the project has over 400 regular walkers on their books and 11 volunteer walk leaders.

6. Any specific lessons learned?
The more scenic the locations, then the larger the number of walkers attending.

7. Future Developments
Epping Life Walks are working with the Lee Valley Regional Park to way-mark all the health walks so as to enable people to walk independently and help the scheme reach a wider audience.

8. Contact Details
www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk; kwilliams@eppingforestdc.gov.uk; Lynda.Foster@naturalengland.org.uk
http://www.whi.org.uk