Walk East… for Mind, Body and Soul

Why Walk?
When the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates declared, "Walking is man’s best medicine" he was talking more from gut instinct than medical research. But these days, there is plenty of scientific evidence to show that regular walking helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels, heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and some cancers.

And the benefits of walking are more than purely physical. If you make the space for regular, worthwhile walks, the pay-back can be enormous – an all-round lift for the mind, body and soul.

We can help you take steps towards getting the most out of walking.

Walking for Discovery
Walking for Health and Wellbeing
Walking for Community

Why East?
We're really fortunate in East London. There's huge scope for interesting walking. Within minutes you can hop from the historic alleys of the City to the bold architecture of the Olympics. There's waterside walking, beside the Thames, the River Lea and a network of canals and docks. Scattered throughout the urban environment, are hundreds of parks and green spaces. And for a walk on the wilder side, you can explore Epping Forest or Hackney Marshes. Take your pick.

Walking in East London
Find some do-it-yourself walking routes

Why Walk East?
The brainchild of project director Graham Barker, Walk East has evolved from his passion for urban and rural walking. "I love to explore on foot, as you see so much more that way. And right on our doorsteps in East London, there's plenty to discover, with such a rich mix of history and culture."

But as well as the pleasures of walking, there are benefits too in terms of public health. Obesity, in particular, is a ticking time-bomb. In Tower Hamlets, for example, 25.7% of 11 year-olds are overweight or obese. Only 13.8% of local adults participated in 30 minutes' active recreation at least three times each week in 2008-9. There’s a huge cost – social and financial – to such lifestyle choices. The cost of obesity and overweight issues to Tower Hamlets NHS is projected to rise to nearly £90 million by 2015.

So, in a modest way, Walk East would like to help, by working with local councils, community groups, businesses and charitable foundations to deliver engaging and accessible walk-based projects. To help East London to get walking.

To reflect its social objectives, Walk East was set up as a social enterprise CIC in June 2010. Get in touch if you would like to know more about us.

"I do not want to go anywhere so fast. Whatever my life wants, I have time to reach there walking."
Jibanananda Das, Bengali poet