A WOMAN who offered to walk with people during lockdown to help banish the blues has seen her network of walkers grow to 90 people. Claire Farley had to cancel her group walks in November due to the pandemic but offered to arrange one to one walks instead.
Since then, more than 90 people have joined the group she leads, Mental Health Mates Malvern, and the group is growing in membership each day.
She said: “People are open when we walk. Everyone is different worry wise; family, work and feeling isolated.
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“Lockdown is maybe pulling focus to certain areas of life because we’ve had to slow down so challenges have become more obvious.”
Claire has found people open up more when outside in nature.
Claire added: “Walking at the moment can only be done 1-1 so I’ve been walking lots and we’re starting to generate a great atmosphere and members are organising their own 1-1’s.
“It’s incredibly challenging for people at the moment and connecting with people and being outside in the fresh air is becoming more important.
“Lockdown has isolated a lot of people and I know how hard it can be to get outside when you’re not feeling great.
“Fresh air and walking is so good for us and can make us feel that bit better. I’d started walking more and wanted a way to help that didn’t cost people anything.”
The mayor of Malvern has praised Claire’s efforts in making a difference in her community.
Mayor of Malvern, Cllr Neil Morton, said: “The people of Malvern have really helped during the pandemic and this scheme run by Claire is just another example of people doing good for our community.”
We reported at the end of last year on the setting up of the Mental Health Mates Malvern group, aimed at getting people who are isolated walking. The group is part of a world network founded in 2016. It started with a single tweet, when journalist Bryony Gordon invited others to join her for a walk around the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, London.
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