AS responsibility for public health moves to a local level, Britian’s walking charity and pressure group, the Ramblers is calling on Borough of Poole to recognise the wonder of walking.

Local health and wellbeing boards have taken over responsibility for promoting health but they face a huge challenge in getting people active, say the Ramblers.

Only a third of English adults are active enough to stay healthy, while a third do less than 30 minutes physical activity a week.

Inactivity increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes by 25-30 per cent and can shorten lifespan by three to five years.

The Ramblers is calling on councils to recognise the value of walking by investing in the places we walk to enable more people to walk to school and work and increasing access to green spaces.

“We’re urging the new health and wellbeing boards to put resources into projects which help people to start walking and to put infrastructure in place which makes it easier for people to walk in their local area,” said Nicky Philpott, Ramblers director of campaigns and policy.