Sonning Common Health Walks

The Sonning Common Health Walks was set up in 1996 by Dr William Bird, who is a general practitioner in Reading, Berkshire, England.^[1] The walks aim to reduce heart disease, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, relieve depression and anxiety, reduce stress, help with weight management / obesity, and help with diabetes.^[2][3] Each walk is led by a Leader who is a trained volunteer. The leaders know the route. You walk at your own pace but you are advised to stretch yourself to raise your heart rate and get you breathing faster.

Bird set up health walks from his practice in Sonning Common, Oxfordshire, and then worked with the Countryside Agency and the British Heart Foundation to expand it nationally.

References

1. ↑ "Seven to receive awards from Queen". Henley Standard. 11 January 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
2. ↑ Helen Bartlett; Andrew Ashley; Ken Howells; Oxford Centre for Health Care Research and Development. Evaluation of the Sonning Common Health Walks Scheme: Final Report. Oxford Centre for Health Care Research and Development.
3. ↑ Bird, William (October 2004). "Natural fit: Can Green Space and Biodiversity Increase Levels of Physical Activity?" (PDF). Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Retrieved 11 November 2013.

External links

• Sonning Common Health Walks