A major new programme aimed at getting families with young children walking for health has been developed by the Ramblers and Action for Children in collaboration with dbda and with the support of the Department of Health (DH).

The pioneering Furness Families Walk4Life programme is based around one maxim: that walking is fun. Currently being piloted at five children’s centres in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, the scheme offers organised activities and short led walks devised to appeal to young children, as well as their parents and carers, based around a 12-week walking plan. The aim is to encourage regular independent walking close to home as part of everyday life – not only health and leisure walks but everyday trips to the shops, school or work.

Developed by dbda, the programmes are supported by a whole suite of new Trail Tales materials, targeted at three age groups of pre-school and junior school children. Six characters and their friends and families appear in storybooks and logbooks based around six walking themes: Walking is fun, walking with friends and family, walking is green, walking is healthy, walking for adventure and walking safely. They also feature on stickers and masks. An accompanying activity book gives advice and suggestions to parents and carers, helping them make walking a fun activity for the whole family.

The project is part of the DH-led Change4Life movement encouraging people to eat better and move more. The materials are also being rolled out through the Ramblers’ existing Big Lottery funded project, Get Walking Keep Walking, aimed at inactive people in deprived areas of Birmingham, London, Manchester and Sheffield.

Elizabeth Burns, the Barrow project coordinator, said: “These materials work brilliantly with the kids and will really help in encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. The Trail Tales characters and stories show walking as great fun and a journey of adventure and discovery on your own doorstep.”