The social side is just as important as the physical act of walking
Move the Masses beneficiary, Do, tells us about her experience of walking with her Move Mate, Katherine
Do walks with her Move Mate Katherine twice a week. They both enjoy the walks around their local neighbourhood and Do stops to chat to her neighbours along the way. There are lots of opportunities to sit down along the route to rest and watch the world go by.
The pair love chatting and the social opportunity for Do is just as important as the physical act. She stresses that the walks are not just about improving her walking, but she likes to stay active in general, and loves having someone to talk to.
“I love it when Katherine comes to see me, she always comes along with a big smile on her face. I like to wait in my conservatory when we’re due to walk, so I can see her coming and get myself ready.“
Do, beneficiary
And Katherine gets a lot out of it too. Katherine logs all their walks and gives the Move the Masses staff an interesting insight into the variety of topics that the pair cover:
– A review of the new cafe at John Lewis
– The scarcity of Mueller Rice (a worry)
– How many conkers a home needs to ward off spiders (every corner, apparently)
– Gino D’Acampo’s new role as presenter of Family Fortunes
– How Do’s new microwave plate cover has transformed her life
“I really enjoy the walks. We chat non-stop and always have something different to talk about. She’s so easy to talk to, she’s just brilliant.“
Katherine, Move Mate
Katherine and Do also love the ‘Picture This’ App that identifies plants you photograph. They regularly take a snap of a flower to see what it’s called and have ‘become experts’ at spotting Japanese quince and baby sage!
Do’s daughter Sharon told Move the Masses how much her Mum enjoys the walks and how she always rings her straight afterwards to tell her what has happened that day.
Sharon went on to tell us that her mum is as fit as a fiddle in the house, but doesn’t have the confidence to stride out on her own. The walks help to keep her mobile as she has to walk properly and not shuffle. Sharon and her family really appreciate their mum having a Move Mate.
“We’re so grateful for Move Mates. We’d recommend it to anybody.“
Sharon, beneficiary’s daughter