Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well is looking for participants interested in joining a new Nordic Walking course, which they will be introducing in early spring.
The project is run in partnership with NHS Lothian and delivers a range of city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life. The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable.
Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities and all activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves
Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “This new course will complement our already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week. It’s for anyone who would like to try a new activity, meet some like-minded people, and get physically active.”
“Nordic walking origins are Finnish with more than 10 million people globally enjoying this outdoor activity. The evidence shows that you can burn around 20% more calories compared to conventional walking. The use of poles means the effort is divided across the upper and lower body, so it feels easier, particularly when walking uphill.”
The four-week course will start in spring on a date to be decided, depending on interest.
Participants will meet at Straiton Place Park, on the promenade at Portobello Beach, and would be expected to attend all four sessions to graduate. Each session will last one hour, and poles will be provided if people do not already have their own.
Once group members have graduated from the four week introductory course, they will be eligible to join the Nordic Walking 6-week course, visiting various locations in Edinburgh. These walks would take between 1.5 – 2 hours.
Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A donation of £3 per week is therefore appreciated for this activity. This can be paid all at once or weekly. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life.
In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants.
To find out more and/or to register your interest in joining the initial 4-week introductory course, contact active@edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 458 2260
For more information: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk
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