Linking walking with the arts reaches a younger audience

Partner Ramblers

Scheme Get Walking, Keep Walking  

Location Birmingham      

Alongside creative artist Juliet Raynsford,  Mohini and outreach officer Sameena Parvaz put together a diverse group of young people to come up with some ideas, while volunteers Tony Holmes and Christine Merryman came forward to perform. An initial workshop was held with a group of 12 to 19-year-olds from different parts of Birmingham, helping them get to know each other. They were asked to come up with ideas for a horror story, and Juliet then wrote a short play based on what they had said. On the first day of ArtsFest, Mohini was delighted to find that the stall they had been allocated was directly outside Birmingham Town Hall. Having a stall in this prime location during the festival would enable them to publicise the Get Walking, Keep Walking programme and provide an opportunity to give away DIY walking packs and step counters. At the end of the day, the cross-generational performers took their positions and they set off for the Murder Mystery Walk. The story unfolded as they walked and ‘happened upon’ the characters. There was lots of laughing and chatting from the walking audience, with up to 100 people in attendance. The performers and volunteers enjoyed the experience immensely and got a lot out of the walking performance. By linking walking with the arts, a wider range of participants from different ages and areas of Birmingham were reached that may not have ordinarily engaged with the project. Mohini said: “This is something we had not done before and it turned out to be a great success, helping us reach a younger age group."