HSP Stepping Out for Carers
Stepping Out for Carers
Herts Sport Partnership run a number of Active Ageing projects. One such project is Stepping Out for Carers run in partnership with Public Health and Adult Care Services, Hertfordshire County Council.
Project Background
The Stepping Out Walks Project has been running since 2016 and has received huge take up by partner or associated organisations. The walks offer a series of scenic, sociable, rejuvenating walks in beautiful places throughout Herts to carers and the people they care for, supported by friendly volunteers and including a healthy post-activity lunch. The main aim of the project is to lift the health and happiness of carers and those they support through outdoor activity, communing with nature, making friends, gaining confidence, bonding a community, promoting mental health, reducing loneliness and isolation, physical and emotional health and embedding activity into their daily lives.
Implementation
With the support of Richard Sutcliffe, the professional bid writer, a successful grant for £9,904 was received from national lottery Awards for All funding. This funding allowed Stepping Out for Carers to expand their walk provision over the last 12 months from 6 to 9 walks per year, extending opportunities for more carers, and their cared for, to experience the benefits of these communal walking opportunities with some magnificent venues they have never been able to afford before like Knebworth House, Duxford, Cambridge Botanical gardens, Henry Moore Sculpture Park and Walking Football with Stevenage FC.
Number of participants duly increased, overtaking targets set by Sport England, to a total of 161 carers and those they care for plus 53 appearances by volunteers (some of whom are current for former carers donating their time and understanding.) The Knebworth walk alone attracted 76 people.
Inclusion
We regularly host 54-60 attendees at each walk. We have organized the Big Step Out walking festival for June 2023 which will attract over 140 attendees. Carers and those they support benefit from the project, as well as those who have suffered loneliness and isolation post-pandemic. There is a wide age range of participants from children to centurions. The sessions have supported individuals from a range of ethnically diverse communities including White British, Irish, Asian and Black African backgrounds.
Physical activity outcomes
Feedback from participants indicates the walks are as a fun and social activity, but also a gateway to more regular activity and a general uplift in mood in participants daily lives.
Participants value the togetherness. This project provides free transport for those who would not otherwise be able to take part reducing isolation. The unpaid carers especially look forward to the opportunity to meet new friends who understand the legion challenges of their daily lives.
Participants have enjoyed walks in a variety of venues and extra activities such as walking football (with Watford and Stevenage football clubs) or white-water rafting (at Lee Valley.)
There has been continued demand for more from carers and those they support recognising the value of these walks.
The NHS colleagues recognise the preventative support that Stepping Out provides both physically and mentally that can help relieve the very-stressed system.
Participant story 1
Vijay used to work in London and travelled by car every day and admits he was physically inactive. When he retired he realised he needed to exercise and joined Stepping Out walks and has walked with us for two/three years now. He and his wife, Indy, were missing from a couple of walks last year… for the best reason. He was climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with his daughter - all the more remarkable achievement because he grew up in the foothills of the mountain before arriving in Britain - and never even thought of climbing it.
Participant story 2
Bett is mid 80's and an incredibly wonderful woman, who cared for her late husband, daughter and brother as well as working in a care home for over 20 years. She came to all our walks with her trusty walking trolley that she christened "Tilly". She still leads the choir at the care home her daughter lived for many years. She unfortunately has suffered a leg problem that made exercise impossible - but now she is able to resume some activity and taking it easy at first with an exercise
bike and her trolley. All being well, she will easily reach the goal of 150 minutes a week from a standing start. She certainly looked good taking penalties last month with Watford football club
Learnings
There are many, many personal challenges faced by our participants - household incomes, reduction of social care, difficulties with GP and hospital appointments, difficulty in children and young people getting diagnosis for neurological conditions - all of which impact their carers. We try to help logistically (help with applications for Blue Badges etc) but the main help comes from the relationships forged at each walk.
Walking, talking and eating together gives carers and those they support, the opportunity to exchange problems and solutions. "It gave me time to be myself again," we have heard many many times.
Sustainability
Stepping Out with Carers will continue with a 2023 walk series and has no plans to stop. They have broadened activities on offer in 2023 to include The Big Step Out (walking festival), walking football celebration and lawn bowls.
One thing leads to another. Your injection of funding allowed us to think bigger, to reach out to organisations that we know do a fantastic job for carer and so include them in our new walking festival. We have all sorts of contributors coming to The Big Step Out from a group of bikers who can tackle any problem to assistance dogs (always a joy). We are truly grateful.