Step-by-step back to health
Paisley Puffins on the road to success
It is well known that walking can raise the spirits and boost your health.
And that’s exactly what a new group found when members took a tour of a Paisley landmark.
The Paisley Puffins held its first health walk around the town’s Fountain Gardens where five sheltered housing tenants joined walk leaders and volunteers.
And word soon got out about what a great group the Puffins are as they doubled their numbers, with many already feeling the health benefits of weekly walking.
The project came about as part of a partnership between Renfrewshire Council and Scotland’s walking charity Paths for All, which funded the initiative and trained staff and volunteers to be walk leaders.
Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, said: “The project means that many tenants who were previously unable to attend Renfrewshire Walking Network’s existing walks due to reduced walking ability or lack of confidence, have been able to take part.
“This project started with very low level, short, easy walks on specially- selected smooth paths, with lots of rest points and facilities to introduce walking gradually.
“The residents have been able to socialise and meet new friends as well as increase their fitness levels and everyone is absolutely loving it. “It’s been a great success.” The Paisley Puffins aims to build up people’s strength, fitness and confidence so they can be referred to the local health walks. They also use strength and balance in their project.
Walks are scheduled for various locations over the coming months, bringing together tenants from Renfrewshire Council’s 12 sheltered housing units.
Walkers are being given pedometers and steps will be logged each week to track how far the group walks and what they achieve.
Paths for All is a partnership of organisations committed to promoting walking for health and the development of multi-use path networks in Scotland.
Anyone interested in walking with the Paisley Puffins or volunteering as a walk leader can contact Sally Logan, health and wellbeing co-ordinator with Renfrewshire Council, on 0141 618 6055.
They socialise and meet new friends as well as increase fitness levels