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YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has announced a new event for the whole family in partnership with Nene Park Trust – WalkEasy 2017.
Taking place on Sunday 13th August in Ferry Meadows, the fundraising challenge aims to increase awareness of the benefits that physical exercise can have on our health, taking small steps to make a big difference to the lives of young people in our community.
The event will take place from 8am-8pm and involves walking as many laps as possible around a set course at Ferry Meadows within that 12 hour timeframe. Groups of families or friends are invited to participate and the course will include various challenges and activities along the route.
To take part, sign up here: https://theymca.org.uk/walk-easy-2017-peterborough/ . Entry for adults is £15, under 16s £5 and under 5s go free. On top of entry costs, YMCA is also encouraging participants to fundraise money themselves.
All funds raised from the event will be shared jointly between YMCA for the provision of mental health services for young people in schools and Nene Park Trust to maintain Ferry Meadows and conserve greenspace for the local community to enjoy.
YMCA believes that every young person that they support, who may be facing a tough time, is a hero for pursuing the extensive challenges of their life. As a result, the event will have a special hero theme with participants invited to dress up as their own hero to complete the route.
Jonathan Martin, CEO at YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, commented: “We are delighted to be able to run this event at Ferry Meadows; it is a beautiful location with lots of exciting opportunities available for families to make the most of. The challenge is the perfect chance for people to spend quality time with friends and family whilst enjoying the green space our city has to offer.”
Matthew Bradbury, Chief Executive at Nene Park Trust, added: “We are very excited to be working with YMCA for such a worthwhile cause. As a Trust, we recognise just how much spending time outdoors can benefit people’s health and wellbeing, and we hope this event will encourage young people and families to explore their local greenspace more often.”
YMCA has supported thousands of young people and families within the community for 160 years. The charity works with individuals to build better futures, offering a range of programmes including health and fitness interventions and mental health counselling. 50% of the money raised from WalkEasy will go towards providing mental health support in schools. One in four young people suffer from a mental health illness, with counselling being one of the most effective forms of therapy in the UK for young people. Consequently, the YMCA believes that schools should be provided with counselling services that allow young people to talk about their challenges and seek support.
Nene Park Trust is the registered charity which looks after Nene Park. As a charity, the Trust relies on fundraising and donations to help develop and improve their 1,725 acres of parkland across Peterborough. They are supporting the challenge to encourage young people and families to explore the Park and see the benefits of visitor’s health and wellbeing by visiting. As a result of the event, 50% of the money raised will be used by the Trust to manage local areas to ensure that the community can benefit from the greenspaces that they provide.
For further preparation advice and support, visit the WalkEasy website https://theymca.org.uk/walk-easy-2017-peterborough/
For more information about Ferry Meadows and the rest of Nene Park, please visit www.neneparktrust.org.uk