Nottinghamshire launches second ‘Walk Notts Festival’ this May

The festival, organised by Active Notts and supported by Nottinghamshire County Council, runs from 1 to 31 May and promotes walking and wheeling opportunities and activities across the county. The campaign seeks to highlight the physical, mental, environmental and social benefits of moving around on foot or by wheelchair, mobility scooter, or other mobility aids right from the doorstep.

The Walk Notts Festival highlights some of the benefits of moving more, including:

• connecting with the surrounding environment

• improving physical health through exercise

• reducing stress and enhancing mental wellbeing

• creating opportunities to learn new things and meet new people

• having a positive impact on the environment through more active travel to school, work and moving around locally.

Cllr Dawn Justice, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council said:

“We all know that being outdoors in the fresh air works wonders for our health and wellbeing, and walking or wheeling provides the opportunity to do just that. With the weather beginning to improve, May seems like the perfect month to get out and about a bit more. Walking and wheeling can boost your mood, improve the health of your heart, strengthen muscles and help you sleep better."

“We have so many wonderful green spaces and country parks across Nottinghamshire for people to explore. The festival organisers have created some walking and wheeling bingo cards [PDF] with ideas for different activities. There’s something for everyone. Getting out to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature is certainly something I’ll be doing during this Walk Notts Festival, and I encourage everyone to join in where they can.”

"We're excited to invite everyone in the City and County to participate in this celebration of walking and wheeling.” says Sara Davies, Walk Notts Strategic Lead.

“From Cotgrave to Clipstone and beyond, we want to encourage people of all ages and abilities to discover the joy of moving more in their communities in ways that work for them."

“In our first Festival last year we were excited to see schools, workplaces, healthcare settings, councils, communities and residents get involved in all sorts of ways."

“We want to take this opportunity to highlight how walking and wheeling can positively impact the climate and environment; help reduce the impact on health and social care resources; and ultimately support people to live happier, healthier lives.”

The festival will feature a wide range of initiatives and activities organised by community partners across the region, including:

• new park and town trails, footpaths and benches

• scavenger hunts and treasure trails, geocaching adventures and nature trails

• buggy walks for parents and carers with young children

• Nordic walking sessions

• art walks

• podcasting walks and map reading adventures

• heritage trails

• litter picking community events

• walking challenges.

A special focus will be placed on "Walk to School Week" which runs from 18-22 May, encouraging families to incorporate walking and wheeling to and from school, or parking and striding a bit further.

For further information visit:
Walk Notts Festival [Walk Notts]
Green spaces
County parks