Walking for wellbeing in Waltham Forest

How can walking help to connect people to each other and to the space around them?

Rosie, our Engagement Coordinator, spoke to Waltham Forest Living Streets Group about their work leading wellbeing walks and how they helped make changes to their streets for those who need it most.

I was excited to learn more about the excellent work our Local Groups do in their communities. As walking for wellbeing is a topic close to my heart, I was eager in particular to talk to Jon and Simon from our Waltham Forest Living Streets Group about their work leading wellbeing walks for their local community - breaking out from the built environment into the magic of their nearby greenspaces.

Every month, Waltham Forest Living Streets Group has been meeting in the pedestrianised plaza outside the Waltham Forest town hall to lead a gentle walk through their neighbourhood. They take the route at a deliberately slow pace to allow room for conversation and reflection as they go. Walking and talking down the pedestrianised streets of Waltham Forest and into a beautiful local park, enjoying the transition from the bustling streets into the tranquillity of the greenspace and the way this transition allows people to open up and feel peace.

"I'm always saying people should get out of their Inbox and into their Outbox. It's so important to be outdoors"

For Jon and Simon, a focus on wellbeing and alleviating isolation was the instigating factor behind setting up the walks. They have unwavering belief in the value of walking for connecting with other people and being a powerful vehicle for communication.

Their hopes for the positive outcomes of the walks were fulfilled when they began to see first hand the positive impact the walks and talks were having on the wellbeing of group members. People were attending regularly, come rain or shine. Looking forward to getting outdoors, moving their bodies, and getting to know the people that were joining them.

A powerful thing began to happen the more the group walked together. As they were becoming more connected to one another, they were also becoming more connected to their environment and the streets they were walking down.

As they walked they began to notice how their surroundings were impacting both their journey and their wellbeing.

The group frequently came across barriers to accessible walking along their route including footpaths that were obstructed or poorly maintained and road signage that blocked important access routes. They were disheartened to face so many barriers to walking around their own neighbourhood, especially barriers that posed such a challenge to those with limited mobility.

Although good work has been done in Waltham Forest to prioritise pedestrians, Jon and Simon think people can forget it is still one of the most deprived boroughs in London.

Large portions of the community are on low income and many people’s voices are underrepresented in local decision making. This was why it was so important to them that the Waltham Forest group act as a conduit for underrepresented people to amplify their voices and be heard by their Local Authority.

"Local authorities have a lot of resources but there's just a gap between how it is communicated and how it is accessed. Unless you know the way in – or you've got the map – you can't get in. There is a disconnect."

Through the power of spotlighting these underheard voices, Waltham Forest Living Streets Group was successful in supporting people to engage with their local authority. And to great effect. Their calls to make a more accessible and easily navigable walking environment were answered by the Council taking action to removed the obstructive signage that blocked an important access route for walkers and wheelers.

For Jon and Simon it was incredibly important to connect people to the local authority and be a conduit for underrepresented voices to see much needed change take place. Looking to the future, they hope that more work will be done to embed pedestrianisation fully into all areas of the community, so that Waltham Forest’s streets can be walked, wheeled and bring wellbeing to everyone.

We are grateful for funding from European Climate Foundation to be able to spotlight the work of our Local Groups and community engagement.