Walsall care home residents clock up the miles in walking challenge for exercise
They have walked to Buckingham Palace and Cornwall in the past few years without leaving the comfort of their own back garden, now residents of Deighton Court in Walsall have been 'to Wales.'
This year, 37 people from the Extra Care housing scheme in Delves completed 1,722 laps between September 4 and October 4, the equivalent of 127 miles, or from Walsall to Llandudno. The first two saw them walk the same distance as Walsall to Buckingham Palace – 123 miles – and then Cornwall, a mammoth 295.
The destination is chosen at random by residents and laps are done as part of their daily exercise with all distances covered logged by staff member Graham 'The Man with The Pen' Boot.
All the participants received trophies, popcorn and candy floss at a presentation from staff this week and enjoyed musical entertainment and an afternoon buffet as well.
Michelle Pickering, the activities co-ordinator at the housing complex, which has residents aged from 55-100 plus said they had a lot of fun doing the first two events, where the distance to London and Cornwall was covered, and they decided to branch out to Wales this year.
She said: "It is obviously good for them to get daily exercise by being out in the garden and keeping track of the amount of laps they do adds to their experience.
"They are very thorough about the number they do each time and if they aren't then Graham does, entering all of the information and working out the mileage as well so we gave him a special nickname.
"Even the less able are included such as those in a wheelchair who are pushed around the garden, we try to include everyone with all activities."
"To say thank you to them for their efforts we thought we would have a little presentation and a fun afternoon which brings them all together as we are a close knit community here."
