We CAN! Connect Actively to Nature!

Devon’s Local Nature Partnership has been awarded £500,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England to deliver an exciting five year programme that will support older people in Devon and Torbay to connect actively to nature.  With 122,000 people aged 55+ in Devon and Torbay doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity each week it is a vital, innovative and forward looking initiative.

“The ‘Connecting Actively to Nature (CAN)’ programme in Devon will help over 3,000 inactive people to discover the combined benefits of a more active lifestyle with the psychological benefits that being outdoors in nature brings” said Hannah Colston Senior Development Manager at Active Devon who are managing the CAN Programme on behalf of the Devon Local Nature partnership.   The partnership will seek to improve and adapt existing opportunities so they are more welcoming to people who are taking their first steps into activity.  Additionally over three hundred volunteer ambassadors will be recruited to help make people’s first steps easy and enjoyable.

“The organisations that have come together to tackle this agenda represent an innovative and exciting mix of environmental, physical activity and conservation type organisations” said Sue Goodfellow, Chair of the Local Nature Partnership. “Our first step is to carry out some crucial research via a survey, there are opportunities to win prizes!  Visit www.activedevon.org/can for more information.

There are plenty of opportunities and ideas for walks to explore our fantastic Devon countryside and coast on our Explore Devon website.   There are 15 accessible walks to choose from, plus several short and long walks to try if feeling more adventurous.  Now is a great time to get walking to enjoy the autumnal colours.