Social meet for weekly walk and talk

FACILITATED by Hesse Rural Health, residents of Rokewood and surrounds have been meeting at the Rokewood Community Health Centre on Tuesdays at 9am to take have a walk and a chat around town.

Using guidelines from the Heart Foundation, HRH’s health promotions officer Vanessa Berry said the group is maintained by the participants.

“It’s really a community-led group. It’s been going for quite some time and remained steady for all those years,” she said.

“The walk usually goes for an hour, starting and ending at the community health centre where a group of them usually have a coffee and chat afterwards.

“It’s for people of all abilities, and the main goal is to get them communicating, walking outside and socialising.

“It’s also a good chance while they’re there to be asking any questions from the nurses there on the day about things like referrals or whatever their needs might be.”

The group averages about eight people, and Hesse Rural Health hosts other walk and talks at Inverleigh and Winchelsea.

Sharon Breen has been attending the get togethers nearly every morning since December last year, and said it’s been a great way to meet people and learn more about the area.

“You get to meet lots of new people and hear what’s going on in the area while keeping fit at the same time,” she said.

“And a lot of us have gotten to know different parts of Rokewood that we never knew before so I like to come to this every time it’s on.

“We had one of these at Dereel but it closed up for a little while and a few of us moved to the Rokewood one, and I reckon we’ll be sticking with here.”