A London charity will be resuming its spring programme of free “wellbeing walks” this Friday.
Viv Fisher and Cat Jones run the events, which are aimed for the over-50s, for the Garden Classroom (TGC).
People can expect to be taken through Newington Green at a relaxed pace and are able to attend without booking.
Ms Fisher said: “It’s not about getting your steps in. It’s a gentle walk that allows people to take time, notice their surroundings, and feel a sense of calm.
“We’ve had people come quite shyly and emerge during the walk… It’s about forming relationships and feeling part of a community again.”
One walker, with autism, who joined in October, said: “Just focusing in on walking and moving mindfully – using the sense of touch and being in a natural space – did me the world of good.”
They added: “TGC are a font of knowledge.”
Ms Fisher said the programme also helps locals care for the surrounding environment in Islington, which is believed to be the capital’s third least green borough.
“If you give people time to relate to the world… there’s a kinship,” she said. People “have a sense of being able to give back and care.”
Finlay is our Canonbury reporter. Their words have appeared in various student publications at Warwick University. They are always open to new stories and leads.