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1. In 2008 I retired from a demanding job and started looking for a new challenge. I love walking and am fascinated by maps and navigating. I was intrigued to receive a letter from the Ramblers Association asking for volunteers for the new Get Walking project and I decided to give it a go!
   First of all there was the training day in Manchester with the chance to meet other volunteers. I was really impressed with how enthusiastic everyone was, especially Jen and Netty, the Manchester coordinators.
   Before long I had been assigned my first task and found myself wandering around Ardwick clutching an A to Z , a notebook and a digital camera. I had never done anything like this before and finding routes of the right length which were pushchair friendly was more difficult than I imagined. However, I discovered Ardwick Green Park – what a gem! and managed to write up two routes. I was then delighted to receive positive feedback from Chris at Head Office and it was great to hear later that the programme had been a success. Since then I have done other routes in the City Centre, Cheetham Hill, Longsight, Trafford, Victoria Park and Openshaw. I even had a route to Castlefield published in the Ramblers ‘Walk’ magazine!
   I would say to anyone thinking of volunteering ‘Give it a Go!’ I have discovered some fascinating places in Manchester and met some amazing people. Above all are the rewards of learning that the routes are being used in succesfull programmes and that I have been able to play a small part in introducing more people to the benefits of walking.
   Tricia

   Comment by patricia mumford on 20 February 2010 at 6:15 pm

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