The Big Walk
A celebration walk at the Markshall Estate
The Finding Your Feet walks have grown over a number of years and the connections, progress and successes of individuals deserved to be celebrated. The Big Walk showcased the positive impacts of the current walking programme.
Alongside Finding Your Feet walkers, the Walk Motivator was able to engage individuals from groups including Mencap, Rethink and LACE (Life After Cancer Essex). In order to make sure everyone was catered for, those with limited mobility were offered buggy’s, enabling them to enjoy the walk and its surroundings. There was also access support to the venue through community transport for all.
The Big Walk offered an amazing opportunity for people to take part in accessible physical activity, celebrating small wins, meet new people and enjoy the stunning surroundings that many would otherwise be unable to access. It also supports the charity Markshall, by showcasing their venue and encouraging others to attend future walks.
This walk provides many benefits and brings an opportunity to bring the walking groups together, encourage regular communications and future connections. Following the success of The Big Walk they have seen an increase in attendance across all of their regular walking groups and have even added new walks and volunteers to their cohort.
The benefits of walking include improving your cardiovascular fitness, meaning you can do more for longer. Walking also helps improve balance and increases bone strength which for the older residents attending is key. Finding Your Feet have also seen improvement to individuals’ mental wellbeing, having social connection and time in green space.
