September 19, 2023
Walk+Talk, a simple concept but an important programme; it makes a difference to people’s lives.
The Allegr Foundation is pleased to announce that the The National Lottery Community Fund has chosen to continue to fund our important programme - “Walk+Talk Community”, centred in North Bristol.
Every fortnight at the Greenway Centre in Southmead individuals congregate together, they go for a walk and enjoy a coffee afterwards. Like we said - simple.
I want to take a moment to talk about one participant, Bob, widowed 6 years ago, his brother died 3 years ago. “Ben, I’m here, I’m here because I’m really lonely”. He lives on his own, retired and isolated.
Every fortnight he shows up. “How’s it going?” “So, so..” We walk, we talk a little and then, every now and again, there is a little flicker of light; it’s hidden under years of loneliness.
This last week Bob told me how he’s joined a cooking class, “You see Ben, I never had to cook for myself, I can nearly boil a kettle”. At the end of 2022 we were talking about cooking, it was during a conversation about boiling a carrot that the seed was sown… Bob did the rest on his own.
In Bob’s words about Walk+Talk “I really enjoy it, I think it’s changed me a bit”. Now, he’s not one for many words, but that’s not the point. The point is that every fortnight he’s there, he shows up and he has a reason for being. It’s not a big tribe, but it’s the Greenway Centre Walk+Talk tribe and it matters.
We are expanding; not only will we be making this Walk+Talk weekly, but we will be rolling out the Programme in at least two more locations in the next few weeks. If you are based in North Bristol and want to be a part of this, get in touch, or you want to set up Walk+Talk in your area.
We run a Military Walk+Talk programme all over the country, this is our Community version).(
Oh… and his name isn’t really Bob)