A community group in Wrexham welcomed High Sheriff of Clwyd Kate Hill-Trevor and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin for a special visit.
Erddig Nordic Walkers (ENW) promotes fitness and well-being through accessible exercise to suit all age groups and abilities.
Run by dedicated volunteers, the group has gone from strength to strength, with over 180 members now registered.
The group received a grant to grow their activities from the Your Community, Your Choice, which helps support grass-roots projects across North Wales and is supported by the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT), the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, and North Wales Police.
Your Community, Your Choice funding comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act, with the rest coming from the Police and Crime Commissioner.
ENW offers a quarterly programme of events that includes three regular walks per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at various locations in the Wrexham, Chirk, and Llangollen areas.
The programme is supplemented by Away Days to go on longer walks, for example the Mawddach Trail, Powis Castle, and Llyn Brenig.
The High Sheriff, PCC and local PCSO Alison Heron from North Wales Police met the group at their base at the National Trust’s Erddig Estate and joined members for the start of their walk before heading to the estate café for further discussions about Nordic walking and the plans of the group.
Gareth Lloyd, Executive Officer, Erddig Nordic Walkers, said: “We enjoyed welcoming the High Sheriff and the PCC to our group walk and introducing them to the pleasures of Nordic Walking.
"The grant will purchase shelving for our storage container, a trolley for conveying equipment and contribution to our transport costs for ‘away day’ activities.
Kate Hill-Trevor, High Sheriff of Clwyd said: “I was delighted to meet the Erddig Nordic Walkers and learn more about their activities.
"With ever increasing evidence about the benefits of spending time outside surrounded by nature and the very small and hopefully affordable donation asked to take part, the group is offering huge and sustainable benefits to physical and mental health, social cohesion and well-being."
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: “It was a pleasure to join Erddig Nordic Walkers during one of their regular group meet-ups.
"My plan for fighting crime in North Wales centres on delivering safer neighbourhoods and supporting communities, something that Erddig Nordic Walkers do week in week out by bringing together older members of society thereby helping to promote companionship and reduce social isolation.”
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