Robert took part in Health Walks put on by a charity in the Outer Hebrides as part of their community focused active travel project, funded by our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund. Aiming to benefit the lives of local people and the environment, Volunteering Hebrides created the Embark Community Activities Project to support people to be more physically active, by enabling them to choose active travel for local journeys, improving their health and reducing social isolation.
Robert shares the life-changing benefits he’s gained since joining the walks:
I have found the walks have greatly enhanced my overall health and wellbeing both physically and mentally.
For me, the walks are not merely a one- hour weekly event but experiences which have transformed my life every day.
Like many people, Robert felt the negative mental and social impacts of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns. During the pandemic and lockdowns Robert, who is an autistic person, fell out of the habit of going out and things gradually became unfamiliar. This, along with suffering from social anxiety, meant Robert found it difficult to go out for a long time. The weekly Health Walks have given Robert the confidence to go out on his own and walk to shops, cafes, restaurants, local green and natural spaces, and other public places again.
Before the walks restarted in 2021 after being curtailed due to Covid, I had not walked down my local road either on my own or with anyone else for over a year and had become completely disconnected from the outside world.
After the walks resumed, I gradually built up my confidence levels of being outside again and felt able to go into shops, cafes etc. both on my own and with other people.
The Embark Community Activities project was created to support the community’s wellbeing, especially those who are least active, or people who have physical health conditions or mental health problems. The project consists of cycling and walking groups, free hire of bikes, trikes, e-bikes and e-trikes and path clearing.
For Robert, the Health Walks have helped to mitigate some of the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety that he struggles with. Through the weekly walks, he has found increased confidence, social connections, and a safe and supportive space to be himself.
Robert said:
As well as helping alleviate my social anxiety the walks have also helped improve my mental health.
The group has given me a strong sense of connection and belonging to a wider social network and other group members have expressed similar sentiments.
Without me noticing it the walks had been a form of cognitive therapy! More generally, I notice that I am much chattier and more gregarious with other people after the walks and am buzzing with anecdotes and knowledge that I have just learnt.
Nature has also played a big part in Robert’s journey. He has found that the walks have helped him build a social network and overcome challenges associated with social and general anxiety through fostering connections to people and nature.
Robert continues:
The walks have reaffirmed my strong sense of connection to nature as well as people and being amongst such verdant scenery helps to reduce my stress levels on the days I am finding social interaction difficult.
As well as sharpening my senses, walking in nature has contributed to the close social bonds I have with members of the group as we regularly enthuse together about the natural sights, sounds and smells we encounter.
Projects like these often rely on volunteers and dedicated, passionate people to keep them going. Volunteering Hebrides currently have around 150 volunteers running activities such as the weekly walks. For Robert, the volunteers and staff of the Embark project have been integral to his life changing experience.
I just want to say how wonderful all the volunteers as well as the staff on the walks are. Without exception they have all been dedicated, empathetic and attentive. I notice that they always make sure that all the walkers are okay, and everyone is made to feel a part of the group… They are very good at giving me and other walkers positive affirmation and radiate positive energy which is the best medicine you can have when you have got depression and severe anxiety.
There are so many benefits to walking and cycling for leisure and travel, and this project is helping people to find the benefits that resonate most to them as individuals. For Robert, he has discovered the mental, social and physical benefits of walking and plans to continue walking as much as he can.
Now me and my pedometer are inseparable, and I aspire to do an average of 10000 steps or more a day. I feel physically fitter than I did before I started doing the walks and my weight has come down.
I also make sure to walk as much as I can in bad weather and politely decline lifts saying I need to boost my step count.
Find your local Health Walk here.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteering, you can visit the dedicated page on our website here.