WIREDGOV

Natural England’s Walking the Way to Health Initiative (WHI) has recently been recognised by the Department of Health for its important contribution to improving the health of the nation.

In its Physical Activity Plan announced this morning the Department of Health (DoH) has shown a major commitment to the expansion of WHI - and getting people active in the natural environment has been recognised as having a major role to play in promoting physical and mental health.

With over 2,000 walks taking place every week and more than 37,000 volunteer walk leaders trained so far, Natural England’s WHI has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people to use the natural environment for the benefit of their health. Natural England is looking to expand the scheme and is now hoping to quadruple the number of people walking regularly for their health by the 2012 Olympics.

Dr William Bird, Natural England’s health advisor said: “The success of the WHI is directly linked to its location – the natural environment – which has been proven to give people staying power when it comes to exercise.

“Seventy per cent of people in England are inactive and this needs to change. Walking is a fundamental way of maintaining physical activity and our eventual aim is to give every GP in the country access to a local WHI scheme so that they can all refer patients to take part in an accredited walking scheme.”

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England said: “It is clear that encouraging people to get out and about in the natural environment is one of the keys to boosting physical and mental health. We are delighted at the Department of Health's commitment to expanding Natural England's health walks and are calling on an increasingly sedentary nation to put their best foot forward and enjoy the huge benefits that walking and access to open spaces can provide. The natural environment is one of our greatest assets - and it is encouraging to see official recognition of the enormous benefits that it provides."

Notes to editors

For further information, case studies, or interviews please contact Natural England’s national press office on: 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk, out of hours 07970 098005. 

1. Natural England’s Health walks in the Department of Health Physical Activity Plan

• WHI
  The Department of Health Physical Activity Plan says: ‘Walking is the most popular recreational activity for adults according to Sport England’s Active People survey and the Walking the Way to Health Scheme led by Natural England supports over 536 local health walk schemes across the country.
  
  'We will work in partnership with Natural England to scope a significant expansion of the Walking the Way to Health scheme, establishing stronger links with primary care and other partners, and building on the success of this established volunteer-led programme’
  
  There are nearly 33,000 WHI users walking every week for the benefit of their health across England, and people of all ages and all walks of life are having the chance to get into contact with their local natural environment from city parks to national nature reserves.
  
  For more information, visit the WHI website.

• Coastal Access
  Natural England is responsible for the implementation of coastal access. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is currently before Parliament and has the potential to significantly increase coastal access. There are 4,400km of coastline around England and Wales which receive 200 million visits each year; 27% of them for walking on beaches and coastal paths. No place in the UK is further than 73 miles from the coast. Each year, there are 180 million day visits to the 25,000 miles of canals, lakes and rivers in the UK.

• Blue Gym
  Natural England will work with the Peninsula Medical School to pilot the Blue Gym initiative that will specifically promote the mental and physical benefits of physical activity, including active conservation along a healthy coastal and marine environment.

• Care Pathway
  Natural England’s London region helped DoH set up the Physical Activity Care Pathway in London. This was a referral scheme for GPs based on ‘Let’s Get Moving’ maps drawn up by Natural England showing places for patients to walk within the local practice areas.
  
  The DoH have said: We will continue to develop a national care pathway for physical activity (PACP), based upon the ‘Let’s Get Moving’ resource and the 2007/08 London pilots, that identifies those who are inactive and offers a patient- centred brief intervention to encourage sustained behaviour change. (Further information should be requested from the DoH).

2. Why green is good for you?

• Contact with nature has been shown to improve people’s physical and mental health. Specifically it increases physical activity, reduces stress and access to open spaces helps strengthens communities. Exercising outside can improve concentration for several hours afterwards and makes you more resilient to stress. By walking for 30 minutes a day you can burn off up to 2,000 calories a week (the equivalent of six Mars bars. Walking and keeping fit also increases your metabolism so it’s good for you even when you’re not doing it.

3. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk