The Health Walks, funded by Anglia Community Leisure, Forest Heath District Council, WASP and Suffolk Sport, were launched in August this year and have been gathering momentum as more local people hear about these free guided walks and come along to take part.

Leisa Bright, Health Walks Co-ordinator, says: “Our free Health Walks are a fun, friendly way to get people back into exercise. We’ve had several people who have told us they have not exercised for years and they have joined our walks at Level 1 and found them very manageable. In fact, the Health Walks have stirred one lady to start walking independently now too and she’s really enjoying it.”

The lady concerned, Gill Robinson from Newmarket, says: “I had been avoiding the issue of exercise for years but when the opportunity to join the Health Walks scheme came up, I decided to give it a go and I haven’t looked back. Although my work commitments mean I don’t manage to take part in the full programme, this has been the incentive I needed to start exercising again on my own. I highly recommend it!”

The autumn programme includes a new walk around Newmarket as well as the previous established walks and more venues are hoped to be on offer by January. Level 1 walks are for beginners and are approximately 1-2 miles long; Level 2 walks are for improvers and are approximately 1.5 – 2.5 miles long but often with steeper gradients and uneven surfaces; and Level 3 walks are more challenging walks for advanced walkers and these can be up to 5 miles long.
The autumn programme offers walks for all abilities and will be as follows:

20 October 1.30pm Newmarket Rutland Arms Level 2

28 October 10am Mildenhall Car Park Level 3

4 November 10am Brandon Aldi Car Park Level 1

10 November 11am Dalham Affleck Arms Pub Level 2

24 November 10am Newmarket Leisure Centre Level 1

2 December 10am Mildenhall Leisure Centre Level 1

8 December 10.30am Newmarket Bowls Club Level 2

16 December 10am Brandon Country Park Level 1

23 December 10am Brandon Sports Centre Level 2

For more information please pick up a brochure from the leisure centres in Brandon, Mildenhall or Newmarket or visit http://www.angcomleisure.com/health-walks