Meet The Walking Group Tackling Loneliness in the North East
A group of remarkable women have come together to help combat loneliness in the North East
inding herself isolated and without a group of close friends after moving to the North East from Stoke last year, Amelia Dodd knew she couldn’t be the only one suffering and founded Girls Who Walk Sunderland to help bring local women together for relaxed and regular strolls. One year on, and after an amazing response from the community, Girls Who Walk Sunderland now has a dedicated admin team who work hard to make sure everyone feels included no matter their circumstances.
Feeling lonely is something we can all relate to, and getting out into the fresh air without a group of friends to keep you company can be a struggle. So when Grace saw an opportunity to get involved with Girls Who Walk Sunderland, she knew it would make a massive difference in the community. ‘I saw it online when we had maybe three Instagram followers at a push and I thought that it’s always nice to meet new people and do new things,’ she says. ‘So I joined in and it’s gone from there.’
The idea for the group is that local women who are feeling isolated, lonely or just want to make new connections can get together a few times every month for a relaxed walk and chat, and this certainly struck a chord with the community from the very first walk. ‘We posted about it online and we had a vague idea of how many people would show up,’ says Grace. ‘I spent about two weeks making 56 friendship bracelets and we met up at Love Lily on Roker seafront. When I got out of the car there was a crowd of people and it was crazy the number of girls who were there.’
Since then, the popularity of the walks has only grown and Grace and the team are determined to ensure they are as accessible as possible to as many people as they can. ‘It’s always nice when you can share something and be genuinely able to say there’s no profit involved, it’s all about the girls,’ she says. ‘For every walk, we tell you what the route is going to be. If it’s a hike club walk you’re talking hours and the possibility of hills, versus our more accessible routes with wheelchair access and no stairs. People can bring kids with pushchairs because we know that new mums are some of the most isolated members of the community and we make sure that we have walks that are accessible to everybody.’
The difference it is making in women’s lives is evident to Grace, who gets to hear the stories of the women who join the walks. ‘We had one gorgeous lady who had been in a long-term marriage and her partner decided one day it wasn’t for him anymore and left her alone for the first time in 40 years. She hadn’t been alone since she was 18 so it was very new and very overwhelming,’ Grace explains. ‘She just needed the girls. Sometimes you just need that camaraderie, and so she came to one of the social events and said for the first time in a long time she was having some genuine fun.’
As well as the social side of the group, Girls Who Walk Sunderland is a way to get people back into gentle movement. ‘I know that HIIT classes and circuit training aren’t for everybody,’ she says. ‘But walking is low impact and it’s accessible to most people, probably more people than any other type of fitness. It’s also really sociable and you can still hold a conversation while you’re walking. It’s something you can fit into whatever you’re doing and still have that social time.’
So far their routes have taken the group all over, including Seaburn, Hadrian’s Wall and even up Catbells, with members free to take part in whichever walks they choose. ‘There’s different faces on every walk and you’ll have people who are trying it for the first time and others who dip in and out of it. It’s not subscription based, so you can join what you want and not join what you don’t want – it’s that simple.’
The important thing for Grace and the rest of the team is that everyone who does take part feels a sense of belonging. ‘We always have at least one admin there who will make a conscious effort to talk to people who haven’t been [before],’ she says. ‘Nobody ever walks on their own, and if I have to physically go over and walk with you I will – you will not be walking on your own at any point.’
Looking to the future, Grace has high hopes for the group. ‘I’m definitely aiming for some sort of girls retreat. Not everybody has a big group of friends that they’ve known for years that they can go abroad with, but a lot of girls dream of it. I’d love to give them that.’
What’s your favourite snack for a walk?
The Belvita breakfast bar with jam in the middle!
Tell us a hidden gem in the area.
Simonside Hills or Roseberry Topping.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to join GWWS?
That’s what we’re here for. I know that walking into a room with people who you think know each other is incredibly daunting. All you’ve got to do is send one of the admins a message! I can talk the back legs off a donkey so it’ll never be awkward and you’ll never be alone.
