New Nordic walking sessions being held at Sconce and Devon Park in Newark

People living with Parkinson’s are invited to join a new Nordic walking class here in Newark.

Nordic walking is known to have many benefits for people with Parkinson’s, including better coordination, improved muscle strength and cardiovascular health, as well as a lifting your mood and reducing the risk of freezing and falls.

The new sessions, being held at Sconce and Devon Park on Friday mornings are being run by accredited Nordic walking instructor Christine Stanley, who lives with Parkinson’s herself, and already runs Nordic walking sessions in Southwell and Nottingham.

She said her life was so enriched by Nordic walking, that she wanted to share it with others:

“I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 and since then I have found out first-hand about the benefits of Nordic walking with a long term health condition.

“I’ve now become the first accredited female Nordic walking instructor with Parkinson’s in the UK and I’m delighted to be able to support more people living with the condition in the East Midlands.

“Nordic walking can have many benefits for people with Parkinson’s, not only helping to support balance, coordination and posture, but also giving your wellbeing a boost as you walk through nature.

“It’s been so wonderful to be able to give something back to the community, our sessions have been going so well but there’s no provision in Newark, so we wanted to be able to offer these to the people of Newark with a wide variety of abilities,” Christine added.

“I want to give as many local people as possible an opportunity to enjoy being active with the condition.”

Sensible walking shoes and waterproof clothing is recommended for Nordic walking as it takes place outdoors. Relatives and carers are also welcome to come along, and a voluntary donation of £3 is also recommended.

Anyone interested in taking part in the taster session should book in advance by contacting Christine Stanley on csnordic212@gmail.com.