Promoting walking
This toolkit has information to enable you to run activities which promote walking to staff. It is recommended that you run these activities under the umbrella of ‘Walking Month’ in May; however, you can run them at any time of the year. These ideas are just a start – get creative and plan your own events. Obtaining the support of a senior member of staff to send out emails and communication will provide a boost to your activities.
This toolkit offers information on:
Toolkit content
On Your Feet Britain Day (April)
Launched in April in 2015 with the British Heart Foundation, On your Feet Britain Day is a national day encouraging workers across Britain to sit less and move more.
- Use this day to highlight the importance of active working to employees. Challenge staff to make some simple changes to their working day to reduce the length of time spent sitting.
- Individuals can use the sitting calculator to work out how much time they spend sitting in a typical day and challenge themselves to reduce this for ‘on your feet Britain day’.
- Read more about active working in our Workplace Facilities and Initiatives for Walking Toolkit for ideas on how to sit less and move more.
Walking Month (May)
One of the most effective walking activities to promote to staff is Walking month in May each year. This can form an umbrella for all other activities suggested in this toolkit, however each activity can also be promoted separately at various times of the year if you wish. The Living Streets website offers free event guides, posters, flyers, template emails and web graphics to help promote this in your workplace. You can also sign up to compete against others and track the numbers employees have walked during the week.
A Walker’s Breakfast event is where a free breakfast is provided for staff that walk to work on a particular day. Alternatively, all staff could be invited and the event used as an opportunity to discuss walking to work or during leisure time. A Walker’s Breakfast can be a good way of incentivising people to walk to work, raising awareness of walking and providing a forum for staff to discuss their journey options. These events are low cost and can give a real boost to the promotion of sustainable travel. Prepare a Walker’s Breakfast poster to promote the event, and email your staff using the following template:
Template Email
Do you enjoy walking for leisure?
Do you walk to work?
Did you know the British Heart Foundations recommends taking a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a week?
Join us for an informal meeting and FREE BREAKFAST with your colleagues to talk about your journeys for leisure and for work at [place] at [time]
There will also be: [delete as appropriate]
- Pool umbrellas
- Pedometers
- Free travel planning
- Free attack alarms
See the about health website for walking tips.
Organising lunchtime time walks can be a great way of reducing stress at work, increasing health levels, boosting morale and getting people into the habit of walking. This toolkit offers advice on setting up a workplace walking group and how to deal with common issues/barriers. Create a Lunchtime Walk poster to promote the event in your premises, and email your staff using the template below:
Template Email
Dear Colleague,
Did you know…
- a half hour walk can help your concentration at work as well as your fitness and happiness?
- walking 2.5 hours extra per week could increase your life span by SEVEN years?!
- walking burns as many calories as jogging over the same distance?
By joining our stress busting lunchtime walks you can:
- Socialise with other staff members
- Improve your health and wellbeing
Walking at lunch is a great way to get extra exercise in to your day. So come and join us at [time] meeting at [place] and see how much better you feel!
If you join our walks and walk an extra 30 minutes per day you could burn an extra 1000 calories per week and lose a stone over a year!
See the about health website for walking tips.
Did you know that if you walked every day for a year in Cheshire East you would never have to walk the same path twice? There is something for everyone, from accessible trails to long distance routes.
Encourage staff to walk at the weekend and explore the beauty of our county. You could circulate a ‘walk of the week’ for people to consider planning an outing at the weekend.
Discover Cheshire – The official online guide to help you to plan the perfect short break in Cheshire.
Free Walk Leaflets – Suggested walking routes of different lengths to give you a flavour of the Cheshire East countryside. Contain a selection of walks for all abilities, including those with pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
To encourage your staff to become more physically active, you could advertise Walking for Health to your staff. Find a local health walk in your area offering regular short walks over easy terrain with trained walk leaders.
