How to make your health walk scheme sustainable

We are in a time of great uncertainty. Many WfH schemes receive funding from local authorities and/or Primary Care Trusts. The cuts mean that some partners are withdrawing or reducing their financial support and some co-ordinators’ short-term contracts are not being renewed.

A sustainable health walk scheme is one that is able to continue into the future with a firm foundation.

This article explores some of the ways in which 13 different schemes have moved towards making themselves sustainable. The article contains links to various case stories, which you can also access from the menu on the right.

There is a forum on this subject for you to share your views and ideas.

On this page:

• What makes a scheme sustainable?
• What is a constituted group?
• Becoming a registered charity
• Integrating your walks
• Local / regional grants
• National grants
• Other main funders

What makes a scheme sustainable?

Structure and funding are vital (see below) as are: 

• Volunteers: there is no end to what committed volunteers will do when they feel passionate about health walks and enjoy being involved. Their experience and dedication is the bedrock upon which the whole WfH initiative is built.

WfH nationally and regionally help volunteers to take on skilled tasks by providing walk leader training, insurance, data input training, advice and support.

• Resources: Access to printing/photocopying is also vital and often the main expense for volunteer-run schemes and others without a paid co-ordinator. The national WfH team provides written materials, an informative website and e-newsletters, data and statistics.

Sustainable structures

There are 3 main structures open to a scheme without its own paid co-ordinator:

• Constituted group
• Charity
• Integrated walks

What is a constituted group?

A constituted group is in the positive position of being able to apply for voluntary or community funding on its own behalf.

Even if a scheme is run by a statutory organisation, a ‘Friends of’ group can be established and can apply for funds.  It becomes, in effect, a charitable arm of the organisation although not necessarily a registered charity.

A constituted group is run by volunteers and is an independent organisation with a management committee, constitution and bank account. WfH regional teams can provide support for groups wishing to become constituted, and we've also published a short guide: Establishing a Friends group - a guide for WfH schemes (pdf).

Constituted group with external support

• All Being Well in Leeds does its own fundraising but other support is provided by Community Health Development Worker, Maureen Lillywhite 
• East Staffordshire Walking for Health works in partnership with the Borough Council and receives financial and administrative support.
• Leeds Health Walks receives an annual grant from NHS-funded Health for All.
• Selby Health Walks receives grant application and training support from Selby Leisure Services
• Although Walking for Wellbeing in London lost its funding a year ago, the co-ordinator has continued to provide some support.
• CREW Halifax has been so successful and grown so rapidly that a separate Brighouse group is now being formed.

Volunteer-led constituted group

• Horsforth Healthy Walking Group grew in size and had to look for funding to print its walks programme.
• West Leeds Walking Group finances itself through a raffle on each walk.
• Vale Walkers in Evesham, Worcestershire, received some help to become constituted but is now entirely volunteer run.

Group that decided not to become constituted

• Get Active in the Forest, South Derbyshire, grew out of the health walk scheme STEPS which made a firm decision not to become a constituted group.

Becoming a registered charity

Becoming a registered charity is a lengthy procedure, a considerable commitment from volunteers is essential and there is a great deal of work involved to meet the regulations of the Charities Commission.

One WfH scheme that went down this route is East Surrey Health Walks.

Integrating your walks

Another way forward is for health walks to become an integral part of the services offered by, for example, a charity, community interest company or medical practice.

In Cumbria several health walks are being organised through GP practices. They have become an integrated part of what the surgery offers and incur little or no costs.

In the West Midlands, Heart of Birmingham PCT has commissioned Health Exchange - a community interest company - to deliver walks across the area from a variety of locations.

Seeking funding

This article briefly mentions some of the grants that may be available to health walk schemes. Funding can also come from a range of other sources including events, appeals, collections, subscriptions and sponsorship.

Grants are available from certain local authorities, trusts and foundations, local businesses and the lottery. All have eligibility criteria. WfH regional advisers can help and advise schemes on making an application.

We have also published a short guide to applying for funding: Applying for funding - a guide for WfH schemes (pdf)

Local/regional grants

Some county councils run voluntary and community sector grant schemes. These may be Strategic Grants, providing funding for a certain period, or Community Grants for a one-off event.

Greggs Foundation Grants Programme: supports charitable organisations through regional grants of up to £2,000. Priority given to applications concerning: people with caring responsibilities, people with disabilities; homeless people; older people. 

National grants

BIG Lottery – Reaching Communities: Grants of between £10,000 and £500,000 for people and communities that are most in need and hard to reach.

Cash 4 Clubs: funds community sports clubs with grants of between £250 and £1,000.

Co-operative Group – Community Fund: charitable organisations and community groups can apply for grants of between £100 and £2,000. Particularly interested in local groups that demonstrate self-help, equality, democracy and concern for the community.

Garfield Weston Foundation: makes grants to registered charities.

Healthy Heart Grants: (Heart Research UK) - supports innovative projects designed to promote heart health and to prevent or reduce the risks of heart disease in specific groups or communities.

Lloyds TSB Foundation – Community Programme: supports work that helps disadvantaged people play a fuller role in the community.

Triangle Trust 1949 Fund: supports the promotion of a good standard of health in the community, including recreational facilities. 

Other main funders

Awards for All: a Lottery grants scheme funding small, local community-based projects in the UK.

Sport England: provides services and funds to sport in England

Community Development Foundation: manages programmes to fund community projects. Is delivering the Government's Active at 60 programme - small grants available to help older people keep active.

Prince’s Countryside Fund: grant aids projects reconnecting people with the countryside (applications required by 1^st December 2010).

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