Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion journey 

At the Ramblers we open the way so everyone can get out and go walking. Across Britain, we break down barriers that stand in the way and make sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy walking. ​​We’re committed to fostering an environment that values and celebrates everyone’s unique experiences, perspectives and backgrounds.  We recognise that systems of inequalities exist which create barriers to people participating in sport and physical activity, including walking.​​ We want everyone to feel welcome in our organisation and wherever they enjoy walking.   

 Whilst we recognise it is important that we address a broad range of barriers that different groups may face, we have taken a data-led approach to identifying four areas of focus to ensure that we can deliver clear impact against our aim to improve participation of communities that have the least access and most barriers to the outdoors.   

 

Our four areas of focus 

People from Global Majority backgrounds 

People from Global Majority backgrounds make up only 2% of the Ramblers membership, despite representing 17% of the British population.  Nonetheless we believe we can play an important leadership role in making the outdoors more welcoming and we have committed to being an anti-racist organisation. 

 

People from less well-off backgrounds  

Research by the Ramblers and others has consistently shown that people from less well-off backgrounds and neighbourhoods have less access to local paths and green spaces.  They are also much less likely to take part in outdoor activities including walking. We believe we have a role to play in opening up more opportunities for people in less well-off communities to enjoy walking. 

 

People with sensory and physical disabilities     

Paths are the main way many of us get into the outdoors.  But our research shows that preventable issues are stopping 56% of people with physical and sensory disabilities from enjoying the benefits of getting outdoors.  We are committed to tackling these unnecessary barriers to ensure more people are able to get out walking, regardless of ability.   

 

Women

Unlike many sports, physical activities and outdoor pursuits, research shows that more women than men are regular leisure walkers and 55% of the Ramblers members are women.  However, there is a tendency to undervalue women as leaders, to underestimate their technical skills and to ignore the potential impact of menstruation and menopause on those who enjoy walking. Indeed, research by This Girl Can shows that 84% of women want practical support to make them feel more welcome in physical activity settings. We are therefore committed to celebrating women’s achievements and to challenging sexism. 

In addition to these four areas of focus we will of course uphold our obligations under the Equality Act 2010.  We will also look for opportunities for the Ramblers, and our partner organisations, to break down barriers and address underrepresentation of other characteristics across the charity and the wider outdoors community.   

 

Progress to date

In line with the charity’s strategic ambition to achieve equitable access for all communities to walk outdoors we have: 

• Trained and supported staff on the topic of anti-racism alongside our commitment to being an anti-racist organisation.  

• Provided a platform via our website and our Walk magazine for people from Global Majority backgrounds to explain their experiences and feelings relating to racism in the outdoors. 

• Worked with partners to develop and promote the Walk Together Pathway which aims to tackle under-representation in the outdoors, by supporting 100 people from Global Majority communities to become qualified walk leaders.  

• Delivered 15 inspiring Ramblers introductory walks and 10 skills sessions for people of Global Majority heritage and refugee/asylum seeker groups.  

• Teamed up with Paralympian David Weir to highlight the impact of poor-quality paths on people with disabilities or mobility issues.  

• Extended the Out There Award to new locations to support people from under-represented communities to feel more confident in the outdoors.  

• Appointed a Community Engagement Manager to help us form partnerships that will enable more people from less well-off neighbourhoods to enjoy the pleasures and benefits of walking 

• Worked with communities across Wales to form partnerships that deliver path improvements, with an increasing focus on less well-off neighbourhoods 

 

Future plans  

As we continue to educate ourselves on the issues associated with inequalities, we will continue to:  

• improve diversity and representation across the charity  

• embed understanding and awareness of exclusive behaviours  

• educate on how to address discrimination   

• partner with organisations that share our values and support our efforts to create a more just and equitable society.  

This will be an ongoing journey, and we will be continually evaluating our policies, practices, and culture to ensure that we are living up to our values and removing barriers to equality. We will keep checking our progress and sharing updates.