If you live in the Poundbury area and are interested in going for a walk, the chance to make new friends and enjoy a cup of tea and some cake, this could be right up your street!
The Prince of Wales strolling group, created by the practice’s Patient Participation Group (PPG), is for local people who would like to get outdoors, participate in gentle exercise and enjoy a chat and a laugh.
The group meets at the Prince of Wales GP practice in Poundbury on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 10.30am for a stroll around the Great Field before heading to the PIPS café. The route normally takes about 35 minutes to complete and there are plenty of opportunities to rest along the way. New members are always welcomed and the group is open to patients from all local GP practices.
Peter Hazelton, the Chair of the Prince of Wales PPG said “We spoke to people who wanted to get outdoors more but didn’t have the confidence to join established walking groups or would just prefer a natter, our group provides the best of both worlds.”
“Our strolling group is welcoming and inclusive, it doesn’t matter how able people are to walk, we just want people to get out and have fun – and enjoy a sit down with a cup of tea afterwards.”
Sarah Millner from Prince of Wales Practice said, “The strollers group has been a great way to help reduce social isolation in the area while being fun at the same time. We receive regular calls from people looking for help that is not medical related, the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and have some company can often be the thing that would really benefit people. Also, when people are recovering after a surgery or an illness, a gentle stroll is ideal for getting back into the routine of regular activity.”
“Barbara Skinner and Veronica Lawson from the PPG have done a fantastic job getting the group going and we are all excited about the future of the strollers.”
Patient Participation Groups are run by volunteers and work alongside practice teams within GP surgeries. As well as providing feedback to practices on services they help share information and create activities that will benefit fellow patients.
The Prince of Wales PPG meets several times in the year and is always looking for more ideas to support fellow patients and the practice. For more information the Prince of Wales PPG please contact boxdragon54@gmail.com
