The Coast Path Connectors Project is going from strength to strength as you will read below in the regional updates, and it is great that the team have still been out walking despite the cold and increasingly trickier conditions underfoot. In October, all the of Coast Path Connectors team members met up for the first time as a whole team in person at our HQ in Plymouth. It was a great opportunity to share insight and learnings and plan for the future, and we even had time for a quick walk around Royal William Yard. As we approach the end of the year, it is a good time to reflect on what we have achieved so far with this project, read on to find out more.
Torbay
It’s such a pleasure to see a walking group develop. From conception to the first initial steps, often as a small number of initial pioneer walkers, but then bonds form and there’s another reason to come, others come, then the other social and wellbeing benefits start to show and coming along each time starts to become a habit, and slowly an established group is formed. This autumn has seen this process bear fruit in more than one of our Torbay groups. The Brixham Theatre volunteers are key not only to ensure the town can enjoy regular cultural nuggets, but also in offering a vital community hub for local people. Despite their aim of bringing people together, until our walking group was formed, they had nowhere for themselves to come together. The more we enjoy Torbay’s fabulous coastline, the more we feel an even stronger connection to the place we call home. I love seeing the Brixham Theatre Volunteers benefit from this reciprocal relationship between people and place.
Pictured: Brixham Theatre Volunteers Walking Group on the Coast Path at St. Mary’s Bay and Sharkham Point.
North Devon
Our project is supporting a range of individuals in our group walks, enabling people to get out and improve their health and wellbeing on the Coast Path. Below is a snapshot of three participants’ stories and the impact that CPC is having on their lives. Names are not used to protect the identity of each participant, and we thank them for sharing their story with us.
Our first person has been a regular fortnightly walker since June after attending a walk with a mentor from a local mental health charity. They have a history of mental health issues and the mentor is supporting them to reduce the cycle of admittance to hospital. They enjoy the walks and appreciate the opportunity to mix with a range of people, as well as enjoying the countryside and walks that are physically demanding. They are now signed up to longer walks with other groups.
Our second person joined one of the first Healing Steps walks for people that are emerging from bereavement. The biggest challenge for attending walks is the drive to the meeting place, as their partner previously did all the driving, and more importantly the navigation. Although initially feeling uncomfortable driving more than 30 minutes to a walk, their confidence is improving and they’re now determined to attempt new challenges and meet people. For this participant the group walks are relaxing, fun and good for mental health.
After leaving the services, our final participant struggled to adjust to civilian life which resulted in alcohol, relationship, physical and mental health issues. Referred by a local social prescriber they have joined us for a few walks but do struggle with motivation and organisation. However, they have enjoyed the walks, appreciated being with other walkers and realise how beneficial the walks are.
Plymouth
The autumn may have brought us lots of wet and windy weather, but that hasn’t stopped the groups in Plymouth from joining us for their regular walks around Plymouth and beyond. In October, Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support (DCRS) joined us for their 8th CPC walk, from Heybrook Bay to Mt Batten. This was the final walk needed to complete the Path between Rame Head and Wembury, being the first CPC group to cover the whole of Plymouth Sound’s coastline using only public transport. It was a challenging but beautiful walk, exploring the fascinating local heritage sites along the route.
Craig Walker, activities co-ordinator for DCRS said “The opportunity to use the Coast Path with Gemma, SWCPA volunteers and our service users has been a highlight of our activities programme. This project has been great for opening up the great British countryside for our service users. I have had many people ask me when we are going out with Gemma again – which is testament to this wonderful project.”
Cornwall
Early in November the Cornwall CPC team were joined by a film crew from Channel 4, filming the next series of Super Surgeons. The crew were in the county filming the team at The Cove, a Macmillan Cancer Centre at Treliske Hospital and the brilliant work they do. We picked the Swanpool to Pendennis walk and made the most of dry and sunny weather, we even managed to stop for tea and cake break at the new Pendennis Community Centre.
Jack says “It’s fantastic to see the great work carried out by Julia and the team get national recognition. The effects of cancer touch all of us in our lifetime, and these walks have created a space for those in recovery to meet others with shared experiences.”
These walks were set up with Julia, the Outreach Support Officer at The Cove. Feel free to message jack@southwestcoastpath.org.uk to find out more.
Dorset
Although the colder, wetter weather has meant we have had to postpone a few of our walks in Dorset over the last month or two, in between we have managed some lovely coastal walks in the beautiful winter sunshine. A highlight was our first walk led by a CPC Community Ranger volunteer, who led a walk between Swanage and Studland, and gave us a wonderful insight into the history of the area, including a tour of the Fort Henry bunker from which King George VI, along with Churchill and several Officers, watched the largest live-ammunition practice for the D-Day landings across Studland beach.
Community group walks are also continuing through the winter and it has been lovely to hear from a participant on a Weymouth walk that he will continue to come along on the regular walks because of the company!
This article is the fifth bi-monthly update on the Coast Path Connectors project. Read the previous updates here:
Coast Path Connectors Autumn Update
Coast Path Connectors Summer Update
Coast Path Connectors Spring Update
Coast Path Connectors Project Gets Underway
About the Coast Path Connectors Project
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Coast Path Connectors project aims to open up coastal walking to a range of new audiences. This project will help improve equity of access along the South West Coast Path by supporting local people in making the most of our amazing trail, for their health and well-being, through a network of new volunteers.
MORE INFORMATION
Email: Coast Path Connectors Project Manager, Alex Turner at alex@southwestcoastpath.org.uk
Website: www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/Get-involved/coast-path-connectors/
The South West Coast Path 