Walk Leaders Wanted
Enjoy the outdoors? Enjoy meeting new people? Want to stay active? Live in West Lothian? The Woodland Trust Scotland, part of the UK’s leading woodland conservation organisation, is looking for friendly, motivated people to lead short health walks in and around woodlands in West Lothian. Volunteers should enjoy walking and have a good local knowledge.
The Trust is working with the Put Your West Foot Forward Programme to develop new health walks and increase opportunities for the local community to enjoy woodland across West Lothian.
Health walks are short walks of 20-60mins, covering 0.25 to 2 miles, using local woodland, parks and footpaths. The aim of the project is to help encourage inactive people to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Volunteers should be able to commit one to two hours each week. Full training is provided and expenses will be reimbursed.
If you are interested in becoming a walk leader or would like more information please contact Amanda McKay on 01506 775 207 or email amanda.mckay@westlothian.gov.uk
The walks are being developed as part of the Woodland Trust’s Branching Out – West Lothian project which is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Ends
For media enquiries contact: Jacqui Morris at the Woodland Trust Scotland on 01355 578777, mobile 07979 706675, Fax: 01764 662553. Email: jacquimorris@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres).
In 1984 the Trust acquired its first site in Scotland. Today the Trust owns 80 sites across Scotland, covering 8,100 hectares. Further news can be accessed via www.woodland-trust.org.uk
Put Your West Foot Forward:
Put Your West Foot Forward is a 3 year project funded by the National Paths To Health Project and West Lothian Council. The project aims to increase physical activity levels in the local authority area by promoting walking opportunities to those who are currently inactive. To date the project provides 5 weekly led walks led by community volunteers trained by the project. For more information contact amanda.McKay@westlothian.gov.uk or visit www.pathstohealth.org.uk
Livingston Woods
The Woodland Trust Scotland owns thirteen urban woods in Livingston covering 167 hectares of urban green space. Individually and collectively the sites are an enormous asset to the town. Where possible we try to involve the local communities in all consultations regarding developments at the woods. For more information on the woods visit www.wt-woods.org.uk
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation's heritage for everyone to enjoy. We have supported more than 15,000 projects, allocating over £3 billion across the UK.
