Free breakfast treats are on offer in Frank Kitts Park between 7 and 9 am on Wednesday March 19th for Wellingtonians who walk all or part of their journey to work.
Walk 2 Work Day event coordinator, Carol Comber, says "Wellington walkers, come along for hot cross buns, fruit, tea and coffee on your way to work. There will be a prize for entering a Walk2Work Story on flyers distributed in the days before the event, at the breakfast, or downloaded from the Living Streets website.
A recent study prepared for The Wellington Company comparing staff travelling to work in different centres found twice as many Wellingtonians walk to work as Aucklanders.
This is backed up by Statistics data showing how Wellingtonians get to work. 45% use a car to get to work in Wellington but all other NZ cities have more than 60 or 70% car use.
Celia Wade-Brown, President of Living Streets Aotearoa, says "We should also include most bus and train passengers as walkers. Most of their journeys start or finish with a walk. Walking is something we can all do to reduce our fuel dependence."
She has interviewed several people who walk all or part of their journey to work. They appreciate Wellington's views, compactness and friendly feel. Many cite the benefits of climate-friendly transport as a reason for walking, as well as improved fitness and relaxation. Their walk to work journeys include:
- 35 minutes from the railway station to the hospital, for a medical social worker, every day come rain or shine
- 20 minutes along the waterfront from Oriental Bay for the Mayor twice a week
- 30 minutes for a Brooklyn consultant through Central Park to central government offices
- 1 hour run from Karori through the Town Belt to City Council once or twice a week
- 25 minutes from Hataitai through Mt Victoria walkways to Courtenay Place
- 20 minutes from the Island Bay bus to work in the mornings.
(contacts available on request)
30 minutes a day of brisk walking meets our minimum health needs for physical activity. A brisk walk helps people be alert for work in the morning and de-stress before getting home again. The 30 minutes doesn't have to be all in one go. Two sets of fifteen minutes will provide the same benefits.
For more information:
Celia Wade-Brown, President, Living Streets Aotearoa, 027 483 6691
Carol Comber, Walk 2 Work event coordinator 027 205 4554