Double century for St George Strollers

ST GEORGE Strollers Walking for Health group will celebrate their 200th walk on Wednesday, November 27 – and hope you can join them.

Each walk covered by the group, pictured above on their 180th walk, has been between two and three miles, lasting around 90 minutes, which means more than 500 miles have been walked in almost 300 hours.

The volunteer walk leaders, who create each route and walk a final check at least a week before the public walk, will have walked three times this distance.

Susan Acton-Campbell, one of the volunteer walk leaders, said: “No records have been kept of how many hours of conversation have been had on these walks, how many friendships made or how many extra social activities created but it is clear that most of our walkers see these walks as social events just as much as an opportunity to take some exercise.”

The group, which describes itself as welcoming and sociable, was founded by St George resident Clare Willott in 2011 with the support of voluntary group Friends of Troopers Hill and Bristol City Council. Last year Bristol City Council announced to all Walking for Health groups in Bristol that the authority could no longer afford to support the role of a council officer to co-ordinate the scheme. The groups were helped to either become independent walking groups or to volunteer directly with the national Walking for Health scheme.

The success of the St George Strollers depends on their volunteer walk leaders, and over the years walkers have volunteered to be trained in that role. There are currently 14 volunteer walk leaders who plan and deliver two walks a month, each walk supported by three walk leaders.

The aim of the St George Strollers is to provide something new in all their walks and the 200th walk will be no exception. The group will meet at Bristol Bus Station to take a bus to Whitchurch and then walk a route that includes the Whitchurch Railway Path to end in Brislington with a small celebration.

Anyone who wishes to join this walk is very welcome. To find out more visit www.troopers-hill.org.uk/strollers or telephone Liz Scott on 0117 952 2513.