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The Future of Walking the way to Health
Natural England
On 1st October 2006, the Countryside Agency ceased to exist and WHI became part of Natural England. Natural England is a single new body, integrating the Landscape, Access and Recreation division of the Countryside Agency with English Nature and most of Defra's Rural Development Service (RDS).

Natural England works for people, places and nature, with responsibility for enhancing biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas; promoting access, recreation and public well-being, and contributing to the way natural resources are managed - so that they can be enjoyed now and by future generations. Natural England continues to support and promote WHI.

The Future of the Project
Walking the Way to Health was five years old in October 2005 and, over its lifetime, has achieved many successes. We have supported the development of over 400 schemes and grant funded more than 200 of them. A very high percentage of the 30,000 walk leaders we have trained continue to lead walks. There are now approximately 350,000 people enjoying led walks every week as a result of the initiative and a great many more are aware of the benefits of joining a health walk scheme or walking independently.

Two evaluation reports on WHI have been published: a national one compiled by Oxford Brookes University and a local one based on results gathered from individual schemes. These reports show that WHI is now targeting the people who will benefit most from regular health walks - particularly those who wouldn't take any other form of activity. They also show that people tend to continue attending health walks for a much longer period of time than is typical of other forms of physical activity.

Thanks are due to each and every one of the volunteers working out there in the community who have made all the led walks possible. You are part of a growing movement of people aware of the benefits that regular, brisk walking - for at least 30 minutes, five times a week - can bring both to the individuals taking part and to the walk leaders who enable the walks to happen.

The Big Lottery Fund grant, which helped to make WHI possible, came to an end on 31 March 2006 but that doesn't mean the initiative is resting on its laurels. Natural England continues to fund WHI, which means that we can continue to promote walking by supporting schemes and individuals. This work is being carried forward into the new body.

WHI will continue to provide the following support to schemes and individuals:

• Volunteer Walk Leader training via cascade trainers
  
• Public Liability Insurance
  
• A Website and a Learning Network
  
• Newsletters
  
• Merchandise for purchase
  
• Promotional material
  
• Local case officer support
  
• A membership scheme (new, as from summer 07)

June 2007