Posted 06/05/2021

National Walking Month - May

Many of us have been increasing our steps this last year being mindful of the lockdowns and restrictions which have still allowed us to exercise outside. However, as we slowly emerge from lockdown, don’t let the convenience of our cars and public transport quickly replace those journeys by foot.

Walking is such a good exercise for both physical and mental health and it comes with multiple benefits: it’s free, it reduces your carbon footprint and we can do it for as long or as short a time as we like!

This May marks National Walking Month, which encourages everyone to walk at least 15-20 minutes per day, whether a stroll in the park with your dog, meeting up with friends or colleagues or to simply chose a more sustainable way to travel from A to B. Plus, you can raise money for charity while doing so. There are plenty of walking activities to take part in, including Living Streets’ #WALKTHISMAY, the British Heart Foundations’ ‘Just Walk’ and many more planned activities to encourage you to get up off the sofa and to get outside!

Did you know?

• Walking a mile and a half releases 75% less greenhouse gases than we would produce from driving the same distance (source: blueandgreentomorrow.com)
• A brisk walk for 30 minutes every day is said to reduce your risk of a stroke by 27%*
• 20 minutes of walking a day will burn 7lbs of body fat a year*
• Walking has been proven to prevent your brain from shrinking and causing early onset of dementia*
• The best way to increase your levels of healthy Vitamin D is to get outside in the sunshine*
• A brisk walk can be just as beneficial as taking an antidepressant, and can lift your mood and make you feel happy*

*source – activenation.org.uk