Connecting young women through walking
This National Walking Month we're inviting people to discover the #MagicOfWalking – that might be starting the day with a spring in your step, getting some much needed headspace or spending quality time with friends and family.
Sophie Curthoys and Lisa Collins tell us why they started Women Who Walk, a St Albans group that supports young women experiencing social isolation.
We started Women Who Walk because we found ourselves as single women in our late 30s, wondering how to make new friends after massive life changes. Soph had recently left her partner, who she was engaged to, and Lisa tragically lost her brother. Obviously, these are life defining moments and make you stop, take a look at your life and work out what makes you happy.
Soph asked Lisa, who was moving back from New York and looking for somewhere to live, to move into her spare room. Given that we met at university, we knew we could live together, but more importantly, we knew we would have fun. As Lisa was new to St Albans, we were looking at ways to meet people and incorporate walking and getting outdoors which we both love.
We looked up women’s walking groups and found nothing that jumped out, so we decided to start our own. The name Women Who Walk jumped out and was free on Instagram so we grabbed that and ran with it. We started Women Who Walk seven months ago, and on our very first walk we had over 80 women turn up. Since then we have consistently had great numbers of women coming along to be part of the community. We have over 50% of women that turn up solo, looking to meet other women and find a community where they feel safe, welcome and can get outside for some physical exercise too.
"So many women come up to us after the walks to say they really enjoyed themselves, loved getting out the house and meeting new people and wish they had come sooner but had been working up the courage."
One of big the reasons we have had such large numbers of people coming along is that walking is a super accessible activity, with limited equipment or skill needed. We normally walk around 5-7km at a leisurely pace, drinking coffee and chatting all the way. No one walks alone and Soph and I love the fact that we never have any idea on who came alone and who came with friends because everyone is nattering and getting along. It’s very special. We always finish at a pub for some drinks and food, so people have a chance to socialise further.
Everyone is looking for a sense of belonging, they want to feel part of something and if you have experienced loss, had a significant life change, or moved to a new area it can be really hard to find it, or try to replace it in some way. We have a whole range of women that come along, we pride ourselves on being inclusive and providing a welcoming and safe space where everyone can feel like they belong.
So many women come up to us after the walks to say they really enjoyed themselves, loved getting out the house and meeting new people and wish they had come sooner but had been working up the courage. Loads of women have made friends from the community, go on separate walks together and socialise separately, which is amazing and shows how well the community has been received.
It really does feel like we started something at a point where women in St Albans were crying out for something like it. With our recent expansion to Guildford, we are excited to meet the women that will join us there and further build the community.
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Living Streets