My Walking adventures
Hi My name is Kevin, I’m 42 and I live in South Manchester but I travel all around greater Manchester.
I have always used public transport for my day to day travels but since joining Carers Manchester South and Lifted through the Stepping out program in 2020 I have become a regular weekly walker, I attend both walking groups each week. I get to explore different areas of Manchester.
Walking has impacted my day to day life greatly over the last four year, you will often see me walking around the place listening to my music as I go. I also make sure that my steps match the pace and tempo of the music, it makes for fun walks
I get to meet new people and also catch up with the other carers on the walks , this allows me to increase my social activity and it has built my confidence up massively. When I first started I would not really open up to many people, now just try stop me talking. PS putting me with the Lifted group will make for fun conversations and full of laughter and giggles.
In January 2023 I was asked by the Ramblers if I wanted to become a guide walking lead. This qualification allows me to be a walking leader for both Carers Manchester and Lifted.
Being a walk leader, it has allowed me to visit more areas of Greater Manchester than I would have visited had I not joined these groups
I have visited Fallowefield loop and done the full walk from Chorlton to Debdale. I’ve done walks around Etherow and also Redditch Vale
I also do a walk with another group called Heart and Soul which started in 2021, I helped create and develop the health and wellbeing aspect of this group which includes me being a lead of their walks.
You could say that my walking groups have turned me in to a homing pigeon especially around the south of Manchester.
I also teamed up with Nina from Lifted to become a local community worker set up wellbeing walks in 2023 and called the Tree Hugging Treks
Nina” Most thought this was too hippy but Kevin was an enthusiastic Tree Hugger and many local trees are happier as a result! “
Tree Hugging connects you to these gentle giants who were here before us and will outlive us all