NEWSLETTER WALKING
FRIENDS PORTSMOUTH
At the start of the 4th Year of Walking
Friends Portsmouth it is good to keep in touch and take a
short reflection on our achievements in the past year,
ready to face the challenges of 2012. Walking Friends has
12 arms (not just Walking) to its Integrated Programme for
Health and Wellbeing as per our web page
www.walkingfriends.org.uk
. What makes us unique is that we are run entirely by
volunteers and currently do not enjoy sponsorship from any
private source, including Portsmouth City Council or the
NHS. We operate across the City and have members with all
sorts of medical conditions including Heart, COPD, Mental
Health, Autism, Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes, Epilepsy,
Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Osteoporosis, to name a
few. The Group is an Accredited Walking for Health Scheme
(see programme of short walks within the City, entirely
separate from Portsmouth City Council Scheme), and
registered independently as a Supporter of the Department
of Health Scheme “Change 4 Life” and an Affiliated Group of
The Ramblers. We do all the things that the Ramblers do
except campaigning for our Rights in the Countryside. Our
external Walking Programme (6-15 mile) is published
separately and can be obtained from Committee Members or
our web page.
The Social side of our work is an
important part to combat Loneliness and Isolation, and
some members live alone and only on one pension, having
to rely on public transport for their outings. To help
with this we have organised various trips around the
Portsmouth area such as a trip to Brighton for the Ice
Show, a party to go to Blood Brothers at Kings Theatre
and Children in Need (40 people). A Coach Trip took us
to the Olympic Village, and we enjoy Barn Dances and
Skittle Evenings at Buckland Community Centre also New Age
Curling (sponsored by Pompey Study Centre ). We recently
challenged Paulsgrove CC and Milton in a New Age Curling
event and learnt a different way of playing from
Paulsgrove members. The Xmas Dinner at the Thatched
House was attended by 65 of our members. An annual walking
holiday is organised on the Isle of Wight. In conjunction
with Buckland CC a Turkey and Tinsel is organised annually
and also a trip to the Glastonbury Carnival. A small
party also went to Matlock during the year to witness a
carnival with a difference. We are proud that we work in
partnership with many of the Community Associations
(Buckland and Southsea we are represented on the
Management Committee and are Trustees) We also appreciate
the help given by Baffins and Eastney Community
Associations. Walking Friends has several Carers amongst
its membership and we therefore support the Carers Fair
and other events such as Quiz Evening. We also give talks
to Women Institutes and Fellowship Groups with instruction
that we keep them awake and make them laugh!!!!!
The music side of the Group, The
Victory Singers, gave 18 concerts around Portsmouth Area,
including several at the Patey Centre and the once a year
invitation to the New Forest Christmas festivities. The
Singers give of their time free and many of the choir have
disabilities themselves but still wish to give something
to their local Community. In December we entertained
University of the Third Age and The Portsmouth City
Council Social Activity Clubs.
We support students from University of
Portsmouth, Southampton and Highbury College from a range
of disciplines. This year we have been on the Steering
Committee of the University of Portsmouth POPPLE project
looking at the needs of Older Persons in the future. We
have also attended the Older Persons Meetings at Community
First (now disbanded due to cuts).
We have also turned our walking skills
into money for charities. Normally we do the Langstone
Harbour 15 miles for Mustard Seeds (an Overseas Mission)
and Diabetes. Rowans promote the Midnight Walk 12 miles
(June) and South Portsmouth Support Group Point to Point
in September. This year we supported Arthritics Amble as
I was under confident about the state of my knees to
survive the Langstone distance. The Rainbow Centre
arranged a marathon in sections near Fareham Football Club
and prizes were presented in September. The Victory
Singers donated £250 to the Air Ambulance after their
Annual Charity Concert in Portchester. WFP also made a
collection for the Hampshire Wildlife Trust. Two of our
members completed Round the Isle of Wight Walk and one
other person has 16 miles to complete. Mike Bell is to
be congratulated on his walking achievements during 2011
(I am loosing my grip-but he is younger!!!!)
Tai Chi is still a very successful
component of our Integrated Programme-A programme which
started on Fridays in October 2004 at Buckland CC with a
steady attendance of 50 at a cost of £2 and then spread to
Southsea CC on Monday mornings or Victoria Park in the
warmer months (cost £3). Debbie is suffering from
Lambert-Eaton syndrome which is a disorder in which faulty
communication between nerves and muscles leads to muscle
weakness. She is now at home and we wish her a speedy
recovery. Hopefully she will be back with us in early
February. Many of our members do 5/6 activities provided
by Walking Friends on a regular basis. Nordic Walking
takes place monthly at Queen Elizabeth Country Park and
Thursday at Staunton Park. Our Nordic Walk Leader Julia
Revill has just completed her 90th marathon-
Well done
We managed a Bowel Cancer Awareness
Campaign for NHS Southampton, NHS Portsmouth, NHS Solent
and Isle of Wight between May and November. The areas
targeted were Charles Dickens, St Thomas, Buckland,
Fratton, Cosham and Paulsgrove. A special thank you to
Tesco North Harbour for the busiest last sessions. No
payment was received A revamped campaign is going to start
in the New Year. We were the only organisation of our
type that was asked to support Race for Life and look
forward again to helping their 2012 race. HM Dockyard
asked Walking Friends to support their Health Day and it
was a pleasure to be there. The Navy support personnel
were very helpful, considerate and willing on the day (not
a bad statement from the RAF!!!)
Our NHS support includes a Podiatry
Training Event at Southampton. My favourite event is the
Bones Days at The Mountbatten Centre run by the
Rheumatology Department. A busy, informative and well
organised day, which any Department could be proud of, and
a big thank you to all the staff who contribute to the
day’s success. The Physiotherapists’ and Community
Dietician have also recognised our value to the
Preventative and Rehabilitation effort.
The Chairman is a member of LINK and is
trying to help in the preparation for Health Watch. The
City Council will take over the Public Health portfolio in
2013 from the NHS
A programme as full vast as Walking
Friends does not just happen but is down to the combined
efforts of a number of people who give their time and
skills to hopefully improve the quality of life for the
citizens of Portsmouth. The people who contribute are not
always on the committee, this is particularly so in the
case of the car boot team who can be proud of the net
result of their two car boot sales. To all our Committee
Members and Webmaster a big thank you. We also welcome
Alan Haynes, our new Treasurer and say a big thank you to
Alan Taylor , our outgoing Treasurer for keeping our
accounts for the last three years
I will write another newsletter shortly
about the challenges for 2012, because even without grants
it is not gloom and doom if everyone makes a contribution
no matter how small. My knee operation is due to take
place on Thursday 26th January providing I pass
all the tests this week.
Stan
Spooner (Chairman) Tel 02392
863224 stanspooner@uwclub.net
Contacts:-
For information about specific topics please contact the
committee member named below in first instance.
|
Membership |
Brian Bradshaw |
Tel. 02392 654871 |
|
Transport/Coach Trips/Pub Meals |
Eleanor Woodger |
Tel. 02392 735752 |
|
Nordic Walking |
Julia Revill |
Tel. 02392 439892 |
|
Julia would like to make it clear
that her walks are not exclusive to trained Nordic
Walkers.
All WFP members would be most
welcome to attend, poles are not mandatory. |
|
Walk Programme |
Alan Taylor |
Tel. 02392 785047 |
|
General enquiries about WFP
Organisation and Development, Community Centres,
Social Activities, New Age Curling, Singing and Tai
Chi etc., to:- |
|
Chairman |
Stan Spooner |
Tel. 02392 863224 |
|
Vice Chairman |
Les Parkhurst |
Tel. 02392 780940 |
WFP’s Regular Weekly Programme (In conjunction with
Debbie for Tai Chi)
Monday
Tai Chi-Southsea CC 1000hrs (£3)
Kurling-Buckland CC 1000hrs
Victory Singers-1930hrs Immanuel
Baptist Church Hall just inside Montgomery Road
Tuesday
Walks-1030-Westover Road Baffins CC-2
miles and 3 miles
Singing 1330 Trinity Methodist Church
Albert Road
Wednesday
Walks-1030-Eastney CC-2 miles and 3
miles
Thursday
Walks-1030-Southsea CC-2 miles and 3
miles 1400hrs-Mountbatten Centre - 2 miles and 3 miles
Friday
Tai Chi-Buckland CC 1000hrs (£2)
Please note that Debbie classes will commence after
Christmas on the 17th January 2011 and Walking Friends
programme will commence on 4 January 2011
Click
Walking
Diary for details
of upcoming walks and events.
