Walking to wellbeing
Thirty children took to the Five Ways Happy Days walk this week, a two-mile route featuring five new waymarks.
Each waymark gives people the chance to find out about one of the five ways to wellbeing – being connected, being active, learning, taking notice and giving back to others.
Local community groups worked with Bolton Council to create the route and an accompanying map, which features information plus QR codes to find out more online.
Over 1,000 maps have already been handed out through local shops, businesses, pubs and schools.
Yousef, a pupil at St Michael’s, said:
“It was a great thing to do because it allowed us to give something back to our local community by keeping it tidy. It felt really good to be outside in the fresh air doing something fun!”
Phillip Bracegirdle, a teacher at St Michael’s, said:
“The Five Ways to Wellbeing event is a fantastic initiative for Bolton. Not only does it encourage the children to be outdoors and active, but it gives them a sense of pride in their local community through the connections made with others.
“There were a number of local residents who stopped by to thank the children for their work in clearing up the local area.
“The children were a credit to both St Michael’s Primary School and the local community in Great Lever.”
The wellness walk and map were the brainchild of Joe Rooney, a community facilitator for the council’s Active Lives engagement team, who said:
“One of the five ways to wellbeing is being connected to your community and the wellness walk literally connects the community in Great Lever, taking in four schools, Deane and Derby Cricket Club, Sunnyside Park and Morris Green.
“Lever Edge environmental group, together with the cricket club, have really been the driving force behind it and I’d like to thank them for their help in bringing it to life.
“We’re continuing to work with schools, community groups and the public and I hope that everyone who walks the trail learns something that will help them with their wellbeing.”
To request copies of the map, email jo***********@bo****.uk or call 07385 955 777.
