Summer is here and this Wednesday, 18th June, staff from Living Streets – the UK Charity for everyday walking, will be at CRH and HRI. They’ll be here to raise awareness through their Walking Works programme that walking (including mobility aids) and wheeling (wheelchair or mobility scooter use) are some of the most accessible forms of physical activity.
Taking a short walk during your working day offers health benefits such as helping to stave off conditions like heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes. Living Streets have provided some short walks from both hospitals below.
Finance PA, Rochelle Scargill (pictured lacing up her trainers outside Acre Mills), said: "I am fortunate to live a 15-20 minute walk from work, so I walk to and from each day which is good for clearing my mind, especially after a busy day.
"Here in Finance we've launched monthly wellbeing walks as part of a wellbeing programme for this year. They also give colleagues a chance to have a change of scenery for half an hour at lunchtime. You can cover more distance than you think in half an hour and some colleagues have seen areas of Lindley away from the normal route they take if nipping out."
Visit the team from Living Streets at their stands and learn more:
- HRI Main Entrance 10:30 to 11:30
- CRH Main Entrance 12:30 to 13:30
Do you fancy championing walking here at CHFT? Get involved with some free training
Living Streets offer a CPD accredited Walk Champion 2-hour training course via MS Teams to staff in workplaces. It equips colleagues with the tools and expertise to inspire and encourage others to embrace workplace wellbeing through walking.
The training is on Tuesday, 8th July 10:30 to 12:30 or Friday, 18th July 10:30 to 12:30 - if you are unable to make these, an alternative date may be available. Find out more here - ls-walking-works-walk_champion-online.pdf - and if you're interested you can apply to get involved via this form: Walk Champion Training Interest Form (West Yorkshire)
Top tips from Living Streets:
- Everyone wants to get to and from work in the quickest way possible, and some colleagues travel long distances. Even if it adds a bit of time, incorporating some walking into your commute is a good and efficient way to introduce some exercise into your life.
- For some, this may mean skipping a couple of bus stops or parking the car a bit further away (even better if you arrange to share the ride with someone and walk the last bit together!). Some may even be able to walk the whole way.
- Working from home? Going for a walk before work can help you feel refreshed and ready for the day before sitting down at your screen. Alternatively, a walk after work can help you wind down and is a good way of defining your working day.
- Why not use your lunchbreak as a chance to go for a walk? Take a colleague and explore a new place nearby – there are maps of some short walks from CRH and HRI below provided by Living Streets, and four short walks from HRI (thanks to Colin Duffield). Or set up a food exclusion zone; setting a minimum distance required to walk before you can buy your lunch.
Active Hospitals is about helping everyone at CHFT be more active and more healthy. It's an acknowledgement that our physical health is an important part of our One Culture of Care, where we care for each in the same way we care for our patients. See more on our intranet page: Active Hospitals - CHFT Intranet
