Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

WITH research showing that half (50%) of pregnant women and people want to be more active but feel not supported to be, this May, as part of National Walking Month, NCT (the National Childbirth Trust) is running 2 walks across Southport and Ormskirk to help address rising physical inactivity.

According to the 2022 MOMentum Lost Report, pregnancy is a significant barrier to engagement in physical activities:-

Around 40% of pregnant women and people, and only 27% of postnatal women and people, felt they had the opportunity to be active.
Only 35% felt confident in being active, and many of the expecting parents felt guilty for not being physically active.
50% of new and expecting parents wanted to be more active, but only 8% of pregnant and 10% of postnatal women and people felt supported to be active.

To address these low levels of physical outdoor activities across Southport and Ormskirk and to empower new and expecting parents to feel more supported to be active, NCT will host 2 NCT Walk and Talk groups across Southport and Ormskirk this May, which also marks National Walking Month. NCT Walk and Talk groups are free and local walks for new and expectant parents. It allows parents to meet and support each other, share experiences, and engage in light outdoor activities.

According to a survey conducted by the NCT, joining an NCT Walk and Talk group and engaging in outdoor activities has a positive impact on the physical and mental health of new parents:-

• 88% of parents attending found it helped them feel less isolated, and 84% felt part of a community.

• 90% of participating parents said attending NCT Walk and Talk groups improved their mood.

Rhiannon Williams, 33, an NCT Walk and Talk volunteer said:- "Joining the walks felt comfortable and allowed me to get out the house, enjoy the outdoors, and build my fitness back up while being able to meet other parents."

Rhiannon appreciates how welcoming NCT Walk and Talk Groups are, she said:- "The walks are important because they give the opportunity for everyone to come together, they are not targeted at just mums, so I have seen dads, grandparents and siblings on the walks as well."

She also enjoys the moral support her group offers, all while engaging in outdoor activities. Rhiannon commented:- "It's also great to be doing something that is not just sitting indoors, for both your mental and physical health; it feels a lot easier sometimes to open up about what's going on and allows you to talk to lots of different people.”

NCT invites parents and families in Southport and Ormskirk to come together and celebrate:- 'National Walking Month' by attending 1 of their NCT Walk and Talk groups.

We are told that there is no need to book, turn up, and get involved. You can find more information about NCT Walk and Talk events at:- NCT.Org.UK.

Thanks to generous funding from Sport England, NCT is working to expand our NCTWalk and Talks across wider, more diverse parts of England with a focus on creating inclusive, supportive spaces and opportunities for every parent to take part.

Rhiannon added:- "This funding is playing a role under NCT:- 'More Parents, More Impact' pillar of our:- 'For Every Parent 2023 to 2028 strategy' which focuses on tackling health inequalities, enabling parents to create connections and build local supportive communities."

We are told that you can also support parents by becoming an NCT Walk and Talk Volunteer and leading a walk in your local area. This is a flexible role that you can do with your friends and family (even little ones) with as little as:- 2 hours a month. If you are interested in volunteering with NCT Walk and Talk, please get in touch with:- Volunteering@NCT.Org.UK, and we will help you get started.