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General News

29 April, 2024

Walking group kicks off

The Maryborough Community House is taking an extra step in ensuring the health of the local community, introducing a gentle walking group to promote a healthy life. The community house has partnered with the Heart Foundation to introduce the...

By Maryborough Advertiser

Maryborough Community House coordinator Jeannie Clark, secretary Carolyn Eldridge and activity hub project officer Sue Miller are excited to bring a Heart Foundation walking group to Maryborough.
Maryborough Community House coordinator Jeannie Clark, secretary Carolyn Eldridge and activity hub project officer Sue Miller are excited to bring a Heart Foundation walking group to Maryborough.

The Maryborough Community House is taking an extra step in ensuring the health of the local community, introducing a gentle walking group to promote a healthy life.

The community house has partnered with the Heart Foundation to introduce the community activity, with the chairity helping to promote the group and provide training courses for walk organisers.

According to the Heart Foundation, walking for an average of 30 minutes a day can reduce a persons risk of heart disease and stroke by 35 percent as well as type two diabetes by 40 percent.

Regular exercise can also improve your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, maintain bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and maintain your coordination.

Maryborough Community House activity hub project officer Sue Miller said walking is the perfect low risk activity to ensure you are looking after your health.

“We did a walk for mental health last October, and a few people that attended said they were interested in having a walking group,” she said.

“We have sort of sat on it for a little while and then we came across the Heart Foundation walking groups and decided why don’t we just give it a try and see who is interested.

“Walking is the number one activity most adults do on a regular basis, it is suitable for all ages, fitness levels and can be done just about anywhere.

“Everybody knows somebody who found out last week they have diabetes or has osteoporosis, and the main thing to prevent that is to become more active.”

Ms Miller said the group will do more than facilitate a physical activity, and hopes participants will also receive a boost to their social wellbeing.

“Walking can be such a good social activity, you are going to form new friendships in the community and particularly when you are older, depression and loneliness is quite a debilitating thing,” she said.

“I know people who rarely have any other community engagement other than some close friends.

“If you actually make a connection with the people in the group, it gives you more motivation to make it a part of your routine so you can see those people.”

Each Heart Foundation walking group provides guidelines on the frequency, speed and duration of a typical walk for the group.

Ms Miller said the group is currently planned to move at a slow, relaxed pace, but is hopeful community participation will open the door for multiple groups.

“We are starting off as a gentle walking group because we want it to be inclusive and supportive to everyone,” she said.

“Depending on the people we get, we are hoping to have multiple groups to fit everyone’s pace, but initially we are starting with gentle walks.”

To express your interest in becoming a participant or a walk organiser, contact the Maryborough Community House on 5461-4551 or

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