Walking Connects
Living Streets’ Walking Connects project works in partnership with older adults to increase wellbeing through walking.
Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, we’re working across Scotland to take action for on-street improvements that have made it easier for our participants to keep active and stay connected through walking, and on projects to encourage and support everyday walking in later life.
We know that walking for every day journeys, pleasure and health helps to keep people connected, increases independence, reduces isolation and benefits wellbeing. Despite this, too many people in later life face barriers to everyday walking.
Walking Connects works in partnership with older people to remove these barriers, helping to ensure that all generations enjoy the benefits of walking – on our local streets, public places, at home or in care settings.
We’ve enjoyed some recent successes - delivering better access, improved streets, and the right infrastructure to keep our older participants active and socially connected through walking.
We’ve also come up against a number of challenges including a lack of understanding by decision-makers about the importance of good quality streets for walking for older people.
There is also a need to ensure and support older people to be more involved in decision making about streets and spaces that meet their needs.
We’ve seen that working with older people themselves to identify and then act on small on-street improvements can make all the difference in helping keep active and connected.
Download our Walking Connects publications
Our Case Studies give a summary of project work in Edinburgh, Airdrie and Hawick with older residents campaigning for better streets.
Our Guide to Getting Better Streets and Pavements has been coproduced with residents living in sheltered housing developments across central Scotland and managed by Trust Housing Ltd.
“The Guide to Getting Better Streets and Pavements is such a great resource for communities, beautifully put together.”
Walking Connects is funded by
Get in touch
If you would like to know more about our work with communities, participate in our current projects, or would like some advice about walking and your local streets and spaces, please contact our Communities team on 0131 243 2649 or email scotland@livingstreets.org.uk