Category: Living With Cancer Strollers

There was a great turnout for the first strollers meeting of 2019. Two year olds mixed with “slightly” more elderly walkers as all sought to walk off the Christmas excesses. Christmas bobble hat gifts were in abundance, but all agreed that Pam’s bobble outdid the rest! The walk circumnavigated the entire park and was the longest the group had attempted. But with plenty of opportunities to admire the scenery, rest and chat, the walkers easily completed the challenge.

A recent article in the i newspaper celebrated the walking achievements of an octogenarian from Edinburgh. Jim Snodgrass was prescribed regular walks by his doctor to improve his health. He had a series of serious health problems including cancer, hearing loss and a heart by pass, but after taking his doctor’s advice to walk, he racked up more than 1000 miles in less than a year! He said, ” one friend told me that I am the only person she knows who gets younger every year.”

So….the living with cancer strollers group can’t promise you an everlasting youthful appearance, or a 1000 mile count on your step watch, but it can offer a friendly walk with a sociable group in a wonderful lakeside location.

Make it your 2019 resolution to join us for a stroll, on the first Thursday of the month at 10:30, at Cosmeston Information Centre.

The living with cancer strollers had an unusual and unprecedented experience on their final walk of 2018. The walkers got wet! Since its inauguration the walkers have been fortunate every month to walk in dry, sunny conditions. The weather did not dampen our enthusiasm, although our Christmas hats wilted in the drizzle!

After a long stroll through the trees the walkers were treated to a wonderful Christmas lunch at the lakeside cafe. Crackers pulled, jokes told, turkey eaten, the group disbanded until January’s walk. If you want to join a sociable, friendly group for a short stroll, meet at the Cosmeston Information Centre the first Thursday of every month at 10:30

GPs are going to be encouraged to refer people for activities including dancing, cooking and walking groups. GPs will be able to refer people to these and other, social activities, Theresa May has announced. Instead of prescribing pills and medicine, doctors will be encouraged to use “social prescribing”. In this way, Mrs May believes there will be reduced demand on the NHS and an improvement in people’s quality of life.

The good news is that there is no need to have a prescription from your GP to join the Living with Cancer Strollers. If you would like a sociable short stroll, in lovely surroundings with an amicable group of people then just turn up at the Cosmeston Information Centre on the first Thursday of every month at 10:30am. November’s walk circumnavigated the perimeter of the park and we all appreciated the Autumn leaves which were bathed in sunshine.

December’s walk will have a Christmas theme and Santa hats are an essential item of clothing, alongside the walking boots of course!! I hope you can join us.

And the sun shone again on the living with cancer strollers on their September walk around Cosmeston. A new route included small inclines, woods, open fields, lakes and friendly canines, intent on joining us! The views were wonderful. We could even see Wenvoe from one vantage point.

As important as the walking, was the talking and the coffee in the cafe afterwards. It was lovely to see everyone chatting, joking and just having a good time.

Another new walker joined the group in September and was welcomed by everyone. We missed Tess who has been on every walk since its inauguration last year. She was doing some tough walks in the peak district, so should be able to run around Cosmeston on October's walk!

If you want to join a friendly group for a gentle stroll, we will be outside the information centre at Cosmeston on the first Thursday in October at 10am.

July's stroll was a special event. It was the anniversary walk as the group has been meeting, strolling, chatting and drinking coffee for a year. To celebrate this, Bethan made cup cakes. The group enjoyed the refreshments BEFORE the walk to store up enough energy to get around the lakes in the intense sunshine!

Three new people joined the stroll in July. Hopefully they will return for the August walk: even though no cakes are promised as they are only available on anniversaries!

Cosmeston in the sun is a truly splendid place. We managed to keep in the shade for most of the walk, and enjoyed the birds on the two lakes.

If you would like to join us in August, just turn up at Cosmeston Information Centre at 10:30am, on the first Thursday of the month. We are really friendly!

The sun was shining. The sky was blue. The grey clouds had passed by. The strollers had gathered at the Cosmeston information centre…….it must be the first Thursday of the month and time for the living with cancer strollers to have a gentle walk, around the lake.

June's walk was completed in ideal sunny conditions. The orchids were blooming across the fields and were a splendid sight. Ducks and swans swam serenely across the lake.

The benefits of exercise for an individual's health and wellbeing are well known and walking is a particularly gentle exercise which is suitable for all ages. Add in some chat and a coffee and you have a recipe for an excellent morning's outing!

We welcomed a new walker in June and we hope more people may be tempted to join us for July's stroll :10:30 at Cosmeston on the first Thursday.

The Beast from the East did not deter the who battled through the snow on St David's Day. The walks always take place on the first Thursday of every month at Cosmeston Park at 10:30am. This was the strollers first experience of strolling in the snow, as up to this date, the group have basked in the sun as they walked around the lakes and through the woods. Hopefully, next month's walk will see a return to warmer weather. Join us if you want some gentle exercise, a chat in good company and refreshments in the café afterwards!