WALX with Harrow striders – this project was the first of its kind in Harrow to help people with health conditions back into regular walking through the innovative WALX Total Body Walking Programme. The walking project ran from March to July 2024 and achieved the two main aims which were to deliver a 6 Week Total Body Walking Programme to 40 participants and to recruit volunteers to train as walk leaders. The grant funded the costs of advertising, instructor time and all additional items/equipment to run 4 courses.
WALX with Harrow Striders successfully bid for a grant of £5000 from Transport for London Foundation through their Walking and Cycling Grants project in September 2023. To qualify they required a partnership with a locally established community group or charity who would be the primary applicant to receive and administer the funding so their long -standing relationship with the Friends of Canons Park, a green flag park in Stanmore was perfect! They were able to put forward a joint bid which would encourage more activity in the park and benefit local residents who needed a supportive group to get back to some health and fitness activity.
Sue Collen the WALX MASTER who delivered the programme explained how she used the funding and inspired people to take part
“We used some of the funding to pay for a social media campaign to advertise the courses and produce high quality posters and leaflets. Posters were produced and displayed around the park as well as in local shops, libraries, pharmacies and GP surgeries. The Friends of Canons Park were very helpful in using their networks and displaying posters around the park to also promote the project.
Our target participants were people with a long-term health condition such as diabetes or coronary heart disease and we reached this audience through an interview on the Face Book Live show with the NW London Partners in Diabetes group in March. All participants who were recruited had either a long-term condition, were recovering from a serious illness or operation or was diagnosed with a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety”
Sue also explained how the WALX programme helped her to personalise the programme and encourage exercise adherence
“The 121 phone calls with all enquiries built a bond between us and the future participants who were able to explain their health histories and goals for joining the programme and confirm their commitment to join, even though it may be the later summer course they were signing up for. We registered 53 people in total onto the programmes, with 48 participating and 45 attending at least 4 out of 6 weeks of the programme. A WhatsApp group was formed which participants were invited to join proved to be a good way of communicating with the group, sharing photos and videos from each weekly session and building a sense of group within each programme”
The key feedback from end of course surveys was that the course had introduced a new activity to the park which been more fun than expected and kept the participants motivated. Particularly commented on was the extra focus on posture, balance, strengthening and mindfulness which participants felt was excellent and would be taken into their future walks.
Those who completed the course were able to keep a set of the poles for their on-going walking and 26 people completed the full programme, in many cases a massive change in physical activity levels and attitude to exercise.
At the end of the course each participant was given a ‘What Next’ document which signposted other local free Health Walks or walking groups which could be joined as well as the walks with Harrow Striders. In fact 9 of the participants have remained engaged and now walk regularly with some having joined WALX with Harrow Striders and others using their poles in the country parks around the borough. It was more difficult to recruit Walx Leaders than expected but 2 participants started WALX Leader training and one other also completed a First Aid Training offered by WCGL.
Feedback from participants:
I’ve really enjoyed the course as I’m not a motivated walker and it’s felt good to get back into a routine. I can really see a visible difference, I can feel more purpose in my walking because nobody teachers you to walk so I’ve enjoyed it.
It’s been a great opportunity to learn a new sport in a friendly and supportive environment. Often you can be on your own on the journey of learning a new sport. So I’ve really enjoyed it from that perspective and I will keep it up because I love walking and walking in nature is good for mental health.
I love walking in nature and do that already but it was good to come here with Sue and Den and learn how to use the poles and it’s a different perspective walking with poles. I’ve really enjoyed it and I will definitely carry on walking.