Partners in step for ‘Walking for Wellbeing’/Partneriaid yn cyd-gamu ar gyfer ‘Cerdded er Budd Lles’

Partners in step for ‘Walking for Wellbeing’

Big strides are being taken in West Wales to inspire people who might benefit from being more physically active to take up regular walking through a new and ground breaking project.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is the lead partner for the project which is to be supported by a grant of £400k from the Healthy and Active Fund. The cross-sector partnership also includes Ceredigion Actif/Ceredigion County Council; Carmarthenshire Fifty Plus Forum (Walking Well Carmarthenshire); Hywel Dda Public Health Team and Snowdrop Independent Living in Haverfordwest.

An autumn launch is planned for the aptly titled ‘West Wales Walking for Well-being’ project, which has the key aim of developing a sustainable model for health and well-being walking groups across the Hywel Dda Health Board area.

Working primarily with GP practices and other centres in local communities, the project will work with these settings to help them establish walking groups, with those who struggle to be physically active particularly in mind.

Sam Evans, the National Park’s Walkability Officer, who will be involved in delivering the project, said: “The focus is on helping people to be more active by encouraging them to join a friendly and supportive walking group led by trained walk leaders.

“Once set up these walking groups, in known and trusted settings, will work with partners to remove any barriers, encouraging and enabling individuals to build regular walking into their life in the long term. Walking is the most accessible activity which benefits physical health, mental well-being and promotes social interaction.

“This is a three-year funded project which, when completed, aims to demonstrate a sustainable model for social prescribing and walking activity. Walking groups will welcome referrals from health professionals for those most likely to benefit from taking part in health walks.

“The aspiration for the project is to develop a model that could be adapted and replicated across other regions in Wales, increasing the excellent value for money that well-designed walking initiatives are recognised to deliver.”

Further information will be available in advance of the actual launch of the ‘West Wales Walking for Well-being’ project this coming autumn.

Partneriaid yn cyd-gamu ar gyfer ‘Cerdded er Budd Lles’

Mae camau breision yn cael eu cymryd yng Ngorllewin Cymru i ysbrydoli pobl a allai elwa o fod yn fwy gorfforol egnïol i gerdded yn rheolaidd drwy brosiect newydd ac arloesol.

Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro yw prif bartner y prosiect a gefnogir gan grant o £400k gan y Gronfa Iach ac Egnïol. Mae’r bartneriaeth draws-sector hefyd yn cynnwys Ceredigion Actif/Cyngor Sir Ceredigion; Fforwm 50+ Sir Gaerfyrddin (Cerdded er Lles Sir Gaerfyrddin); Tîm Iechyd Cyhoeddus Hywel Dda a Snowdrop Independent Living yn Hwlffordd.

Y bwriad yw lansio’r prosiect, ac iddo deitl addas, ‘Cerdded er Budd Lles Gorllewin Cymru’ yn ystod yr hydref. Ei brif nod yw datblygu model cynaliadwy ar gyfer grwpiau cerdded er budd iechyd a lles ar draws ardal Bwrdd Iechyd Hywel Dda.

Bydd y prosiect yn gweithio’n bennaf gyda phractisau meddygon teulu a chanolfannau eraill mewn cymunedau lleol er mwyn eu helpu i greu grwpiau cerdded, gyda’r rheini sy’n cael trafferth bod yn gorfforol egnïol mewn golwg.

Dywedodd Sam Evans, Swyddog Walkability y Parc Cenedlaethol, a fydd yn gysylltiedig â darparu’r prosiect: “Mae’r ffocws ar helpu pobl i fod yn fwy egnïol drwy eu hannog i ymuno â grŵp cerdded cyfeillgar a chefnogol dan ofal arweinwyr cerdded hyfforddedig.

“Unwaith y bydd y grwpiau cerdded hyn wedi’u sefydlu, mewn lleoliadau hysbys a diogel, byddant yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid i gael gwared ar unrhyw rwystrau, gan annog unigolion a’u galluogi i gerdded yn rheolaidd fel rhan o’u bywyd yn yr hirdymor. Cerdded yw’r gweithgarwch mwyaf hygyrch sydd o fudd i iechyd corfforol a lles meddwl ac mae’n hybu rhyngweithio cymdeithasol.

“Mae hwn yn brosiect sydd wedi’i ariannu dros dair blynedd a phan fydd wedi’i gwblhau, ei nod yw dangos model cynaliadwy ar gyfer gweithgareddau cerdded a rhagnodi cymdeithasol. Bydd grwpiau cerdded yn croesawu’r rheini sydd fwyaf tebygol o elwa o gerdded er budd eu hiechyd, sy’n cael eu hatgyfeirio gan weithwyr iechyd proffesiynol.

“Uchelgais y prosiect yw datblygu model y gellid ei addasu a’i atgynhyrchu mewn ardaloedd eraill yng Nghymru, gan gynyddu’r gwerth gwych am arian y cydnabyddir bod mentrau cerdded wedi’u dylunio’n dda yn ei sicrhau.

Bydd rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael cyn lansio prosiect ‘Cerdded er Budd Lles Gorllewin Cymru’ yn ystod yr hydref eleni.