LONDONERS GEAR UP FOR WALKING WEEKEND
[13 September 2007]
The Ramblers’ Association (RA) is gearing
up to show Londoners why the capital is best seen on foot during
London Walking Weekend (15-16 September). The packed weekend
of walking activity organised by Transport for London and
supported by the RA, Walk London and Living Streets will be the
perfect opportunity to find out how to make everyday journeys
healthier.
The RA will be showcasing its new
Get Walking Keep Walking
programme which aims to help people build easy, local walking
into their everyday lives – even if they live in a city. As well
as health and leisure walks the RA wants more people to take
everyday trips on foot, such as to the shops, school or work.
A free Get Walking Keep Walking booklet, perfect for complete
beginners to walking, is available from the Ramblers’
Association. The RA is also running free locally-based 12-week
walking programmes in several major cities, combining
information and motivation with led walks and other activities.
Walking programmes are being set up in partnership with
community groups, schools, the NHS, children’s centres and local
leisure centres to encourage as many people as possible to walk.
The project is supported by presenter and actress Floella
Benjamin, who says: “My favourite place to walk in London is
along the Embankment from Westminster to the Tower of London,
because I discover the old and the new London.”
And comedy actress June Whitfield has also lent her support,
saying: “Wimbledon Common is a great place for a walk, but so is
walking around the shops – even if it’s window shopping!”
Actress Patsy Palmer says: “My favourite London walk is on
Hampstead Heath with my kids. Keep on walking!”
Simon Waters, Head of Promoting Walking at the RA, said:
“Walking is one of the best forms of exercise, it’s free and a
great family activity. Despite the fact that London is a very
walker friendly city few of us explore it on foot. Many people
in inner-city areas don’t walk because of a lack of confidence
or knowledge about places to go. Through Get Walking Keep
Walking we are encouraging them to overcome these barriers and
find out why the capital is best seen on foot.”
Representatives from Transport for London will be on hand at the
‘Why not walk it?’ marquee on the South Bank (on the Thames Path
outside the South Bank Centre – 12pm – 6pm) and the RA is
organising walks from Burgess Park in Peckham and Kennington
Park to the South Bank. There’s also lots of fun to be had for
the family at the Ramblers Family Walk from Finsbury Park to
Highgate. And Metropolitan Walkers – an RA walking group for
people in their 20s and 30s – are organising a host of long and
short walks.