Hello,
We are Nikki & Michelle and we would like you to join us on our Sofa2Stroll+walks in nature organised through the Walk Derbyshire Initiative.
We have found that being out in nature is our happy place and has in recent years been fundamental in helping us to adapt to living with our long term health conditions, as well as helping us to improve our mobility and exercise tolerances.
However, we both found that:
· The exercise support offerings provided via the NHS or Social prescribing were all indoor based
· Our motivation to walk alone was hard, too far distance wise, too fast, too hilly, feeling like your holding others back, isolating if your left behind & we sometimes felt lonely/vulnerable
Thus, our Sofa2Stroll+walks are for people, who like us, who have been stuck in the house due to a health condition & want to go out regularly into nature with like-minded people.
The Walks
The first location for our regular Sofa2Stroll+ is at the beautiful Elvaston Castle Country Park. The park has accessible flat paths, parking (including disabled), accessible toilets and places to purchase refreshments. For further details on whether the types of terrains on our routes are suitable for your ability or mobility device, please see our FB page & the photos in this advert.
Our trained Walk Leader led strolls will be in two parts;
1: Part 1 of the Stroll (depending on how you are feeling) is up to a mile long via the walled garden where seating is available and then up to the main hall.
· There will be an option to participate in a short mindfulness in nature practice led by Nikki.
· We will include a 15-minute refreshment stop, you can either bring your own or purchase one from the cafe in the main hall.
· Benches are limited around the grounds, so if you find you need to sit frequently (Michelle does!) please remember to bring a fold up fishing or camping stool.
2: The Sofa2Stroll+ part 2 will commence once everyone is safely back at the original starting point. This 2nd part of the stroll is for those wanting to extend their stroll further. The distance / route will be decided on the day depending on the groups abilities and where you are in your own personal reconditioning & exercise improvement plan/goals
The intentions & ethos's for our strolls are:
· Most importantly have fun!
· No one gets left behind at the back on their own, so if we ask people to loop back please do
· Go at your pace, please pause and rest as frequently as you need: whether it’s to take in the beautiful nature views, get your breath back, or to rest while any pain subsides, etc
· Please stay with the group and don't wander off in little groups or on your own. If you do need to leave unexpectedly please talk to Nikki or Michelle before leaving the group
· Please let us know if your’e not feeling well before or during the stroll. We both know how symptoms can suddenly rear up when you’re least expecting it & regularly happens as part of living with your condition.
· If you have a full time carer they will need to accompany you on the stroll
· Assistance dogs are very welcome, otherwise we ask that you leave your dogs at home.
Elvaston is our very first Sofa2Stroll+ walk, so we ask that you bear with us for any administrative or stroll teething problems. In time, we aim to extend our Sofa2Stroll+ to other locations across Derbyshire.
We look forward to meeting you,
Nikki & Michelle
NB: If you would like to know more about us please take a look at our Sofa2Stroll+ Facebook page for photos = https://www.facebook.com/groups/1574172316640247/
