Getting new mothers active: a tale of two buggy walking groups. The Mentro Allan programme Project background The following case study draws on the experience of an action research programme called Mentro Allan which ran for five years and was designed to test ways of helping different hardto-reach sedentary groups to become more physically active. All of the local projects were participant led, with project development guided by feedback and ideas from the participants. The feedback was gathered both formally, through regular evaluation events using a participatory group discussion process, and informally, through chatting to people during the activity sessions. The Ynys Mon Mentro Allan (MA) project targeted young women living on Anglesey. The project was based in the Sports Development Department of Anglesey County Council. Originally the age range was 16-25, but after 8 months this was extended to 16-30. The reason for this was that the project was struggling to attract participants, particularly at the younger end of the age range, but having to turn away lots of young women who wanted to take part aged between 25 and 30. Young women as a group are less active than young men, and young mothers face additional barriers to exercise, particularly because of difficulties finding childcare. Buggy walking was set up by the project as a way to engage young mothers without the issues of childcare. Two buggy walking groups emerged, and this case study will look at the different way the two groups developed, what barriers they faced, and how they dealt with the challenge of sustainability. What happened? Getting started Whilst having a spectacular coastline and landscape popular with tourists, Anglesey provides particular challenges to outdoor activity for local people. Public transport around the island is limited, and not convenient for organising activities. The population is divided between small towns, and most people travel between them by car. Footpaths are limited, roads are narrow and busy, and many people don t know about or how to access the beautiful natural locations on their doorstep. 1 /5
Early in the MA project the coordinator took time off for maternity leave. When she returned to work it was with a new appreciation of the limits that motherhood places on a woman s ability to get involved in physical activity, and she began to think about how to engage young women who hadn t been able to get involved in the project because of childcare responsibilities. Buggy walks Another MA project in Bro Dyfi had successfully run a programme of buggy walks for new mothers and there were also groups around the UK that were paying to attend professionally led buggy walks, so she thought it would be interesting to try in Anglesey. The Pentraeth group, was made up of a number of women who were friends. They d previously been involved in MA activities, but all of them had recently had children. Some had been able to attend occasional project activities but found it difficult to organise childcare for regular activity. The group supported the idea of trying a buggy walk together. The coordinator began to research places to walk. Many of the recommended walks in the area were not accessible to buggies and the task was more challenging than it first seemed. Stiles can be impossible to negotiate, and rough ground is only suitable for some larger wheeled buggies. The need to avoid walking on main roads meant that there needed to be a suitable path or that they would need to travel by car to find a safe starting point. The meeting point needed to have car parking facilities to accommodate the group and also have access to toilets and refreshments. In order to have a social element there needed to be space for the buggies and the children should be welcome. For the first walk they met at one of the group members homes, and walked for half an hour up the road. The road chosen was narrow but fairly quiet and straight. The co-ordinator gave a safety briefing before they set off. The walk took them to a local park, so that they had a goal. Afterwards they walked back again and stopped for refreshments and a chat at the house. Group members said they d really enjoyed the walk and social occasion and agreed to go every week. The group established a regular weekly walk with 5 to 10 mothers coming along. A sister of one of the members, who d come on one of the walks was also a member of the Llan community group. She thought it was a great idea and asked the MA co-ordinator if it would be possible to organise a similar activity for their group. No safe local routes The Llan group were around 30 mothers who used to go to an organised parent and toddler group. The MA co-ordinator went along to one of their meetings to find out about them and what they d like to do. They were keen to try buggy walking, but would need to find a meeting point outside the village, which was on a junction of three roads, with nowhere safe to walk. Car sharing was the only option for this group as half the group didn t have cars and public transport was useless. This worked well for them as they knew each other well. Their first walk was in the Dingle in Llangefni, about a 15 minute drive from where they lived. The buggy walkers could park at the local art gallery at the start of a circular 45 minute off-road walk. This was a good starting point as there was plenty of parking, easy access, toilets and tea facilities. Everyone knew about it, but not many had been there before. Seven adults turned up for the first walk and everyone enjoyed it. As a result regular monthly walks were scheduled. Despite having carried out the research needed for walks, things didn t always work out well. On one occasion MA staff contacted the hotel at the meeting point in advance to agree with them their plans and were told that it was child friendly and that it would be fine for everyone to come in for a cup of tea. However, when all the walkers were settled in it turned out that hotel staff were not happy to have children running around and making a noise. The walks themselves mainly worked well. There was one walk to Penrhos Park in Holyhead, which was further away but satisfying. Another walk was to Llyn Alaw, a beautiful local lake and reservoir 10 minutes drive from their village. Although tourists come to Anglesey to visit it, most of the walkers had never seen it before and were amazed. Across the fields For one walk they decided to see what they could do if they set out from the village. The MA coordinator phoned a local farmer to 2 /5
get permission, and he was happy for them to cross his land because he knew who they were. They set out across the fields and came back round the lanes to make a circular walk. It wasn t as pleasant as some of the other walks they d been on, but because it was so convenient, it was one of the busiest, with 16 adults and 17 children. Another walk that didn t go so well had been recommended by a local countryside organisation. When the project co-ordinator had phoned to explain what the group needed, she had been reassured that the walk was suitable, But when they arrived they found inadequate parking, no toilets and the paths which were narrow boardwalks unsuitable for buggies. A real buzz Because the options were so limited the group ended up repeating walk. As time went on, however, some walks that would have put the group off at the beginning became favourites. For example, one of the walks in the Dingle has a steep hill and the group would go up it shouting and loudly complaining, but get a real buzz once they got to the top. The MA co-ordinator tried to add something of interest to the walks someone to talk about the location, a park or local place of interest or a picnic. Particularly as the children grew older this was useful. In winter the Llan group tailed off slightly and the walks became shorter. However the group agreed that one of the best walks of all was a Christmas walk in the Dingle when it snowed. Half the group stayed in the art gallery for indoor activities, but the half who did the snowy walk loved it. The Pentraeth group continued to meet and walk as a small group as some people went back to work or children started school. The Llan group continued to be dynamic. As the young children grew out of their buggies they would walk with their parents. Some of the mothers who d left the group to go back to work would pop in with older brothers and sisters at half term and holidays. New mothers joined the group bringing their small babies. They found it a great support network. A number of members found it rewarding to take on leadership roles. The original contact person had left to work, so another member took on that role. Someone would bring snacks, another person was responsible for keeping the kitchen tidy in the school where they met. They all were happy to take on roles and work together. The group structure worked and the welcoming nature of the group encouraged new people to keep joining. In the summers as the group became more confident, they began to organise their own walks. Two members of the group trained as walk leaders, and the group linked up with a local authority walking project, so that they d be able to continue walking when the MA project ended. Community benefits One difference between the two buggy walking groups was that the Pentraeth group saw themselves as a friendship group, and didn t want to include newcomers, the Llan group however, was a community group and saw itself as having a responsibility to provide a resource to the community. The walks were just one of a range of activities provided for members. As a result, the benefits of the group were available to a wider range of women, and also the group was more adventurous. 3 /5
Lead Organisation for this project: Anglesey County Council Project Location: Project Name: Target Group: Website: Anglesey Ynys Môn Mentro Allan Young Women 16-30 years www.anglesey.gov.uk Impact on participants lives Both of the buggy walking groups enabled young women who wouldn t otherwise have been able to exercise due to childcare responsibilities, to get regular outdoor physical activity. Women living on Anglesey started to access beautiful places that many of them didn t know existed. Although the Llan walk only took place once or twice a month, many of the members said that they were more active as a result of being involved with the project, and knowing where to go. They d been amazed by some of the places they d never have seen otherwise, and would go back to favourite walks with their families. Participants gained confidence at trying new things, felt happier as a result of the socialising and felt fitter as a result of the walking. The social side of the activity was an important motivation in both groups. In evaluation sessions in the Llan group showed that people had expanded their social networks. Many talked about how happy they were to make new friends, meet other mothers, spend time walking and talking with friends and family, and how the friendliness of the group made it easy to join in. Mentro Allan was led by a National Partnership made up of the following organisations: Countryside Council for Wales: www.ccgc.gov.uk Public Health Wales: www.publichealthwales.gov.uk Sport Wales: www.sportwales.org.uk Wales Council for Voluntary Action: www.wcva.org.uk Welsh Local Government Association: www.wlga.gov.uk 4 /5
Astudiaeth Achos 14 lessons learned Young mothers face particular barriers in accessing physical activity outdoors. Buggy walks are one of the few activities mothers can take part in with their children to get exercise. When living in a rural environment without pavements there are additional problems in accessing suitable walks. There are a number of issues to bear in mind when planning walks for parents pushing buggies: Thoroughly research routes and facilities: It will make the difference between a great experience and a frustrating disaster. Check things out yourself: Organisations not dealing directly with the needs of parents of young children may not understand the facilities and conditions needed. Consider transport needs in any planning: Adults travelling in cars with young children need child seats. This makes swapping around in cars time consuming and inconvenient. Public Transport is often unavailable and inconvenient in rural areas. Facilities needed: At the start and end of a walk adults with young children will need adequate parking, toilets, shelter of some kind for feeding and changing babies. Buggies can t handle rough ground: Paths need to be smooth and wide enough to accommodate buggies. There should be no stiles or gates that don t open wide. Routes need to be fairly level. Suit distance and times to the needs of young children: Ask participants what they and their children need. Promote buggy walking as a way for parents of young children to get exercise without childcare issues: Parent and Toddler groups may provide activities, but consider physical activity too difficult to organise. Signposting: Countryside organisations could consider signposting their walks for buggy accessibility. The Mentro Allan programme There were fourteen Mentro Allan (MA) projects across Wales, running between 2006 and 2011. The aim was to learn about the most effective ways to support sedentary people to develop the habit of physical activity in the natural environment. The projects had a range of target groups: young people, older people, women, BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) communities, people with physical disabilities, mental health service users, carers, people at risk of rural isolation, people with low incomes. The approach to project development was participant led; using a Participatory Action Research model of evaluation. A copy of the guidance notes given to project co-ordinators is available through the website. Projects were encouraged to focus on doorstep activities, as being more easily sustainable. www.mentroallan.co.uk 5 /5