Setting up a health walk scheme

There are over 600 walk schemes across England. Walking for Health is an established model and there is a wealth of resource to help you set up and run a successful walk scheme.

Our publication 'How to set up a health walk scheme' is the bible you'll need to download and print.

The pages in this section offer a flavour of what you'll need to consider when deciding to run a health walk scheme, and link to various resources and tips within this website. Some of the FAQs and other advice is restricted, and you'll need to sign up to our website to access some of it.

Below is an overview of what is required in setting up a health walk scheme - you can download this as a flowchart and action checklist (opens pdf).

1. Identify local needs

What level of interest is there among local people? Who will benefit from the walk and how? What type of scheme do people want?

• Planning a scheme

2. Decide on rationale, aim and objectives

What is the potential health gain? What is the scheme about? How are you going to get there?

• Planning a scheme

3. Contact Walking for Health

Find out about the advice and support WfH can provide.

• Who to contact

4. Work with local communities and establish partnerships

Plan for sustainability and a scheme that can continue on its own over time.

• Planning a scheme

5. Recruit, train and manage volunteer walk leaders

Be clear about what you want in your volunteers, arrange training sessions and devise a supportive volunteer policy.

• Managing volunteers
• Training and support

6. Work out costs and investigate funding

Calculate the likely costs of the scheme and identify potential sources of funding and/or help in kind.

• Planning a scheme

7. Locate suitable places to walk

Plan and risk assess your routes. Cater for the needs of your walkers and allow your scheme to develop gradually at a manageable pace.

• Getting started
• Planning a scheme

8. Market and promote your scheme

Get the message across to your target groups through word of mouth, by using the local media and by making the most of your own publicity materials.

• Marketing and promotion

9. Network with other schemes

Join other WfH schemes at regional events.

10. Collect and submit OHQ data / interrogate the database

Ask each health walker to complete an Outdoor Health Questionnaire. Input the data to the WfH national database. Input register of walkers taking part in each walk, to enable reports and statistics to be generated from the database.

• Getting started

11. Get your scheme accredited

WfH’s simple, straightforward accreditation scheme does not involve a fee and provides a range of benefits.

• Getting started

12. Monitor and evaluate

Use monitoring and evaluation to find out what is going well and what isn’t. Improve the scheme by acting on what you have learned.

• Planning a scheme
• Getting started

13. Take it further / progress

Explore ways in which your scheme can retain entry level walks whilst also encouraging those who have improved their walking to move on to more challenging walks or other forms of physical activity.

• See Beyond Walking for Health