Exercise is just a walk in the park

By Chan Khai Ling

Medibank Community Fund launched a Medibank Walking Day in Docklands on June 9 to celebrate its partnership with Heart Foundation Walking.

About 50 Medibank employees and members of walking groups from the National Heart Foundation took a 30-minute stroll from the Medibank head office on Collins St down to the Icehouse.

Weather conditions were perfect for the leisurely walk – the sunny, cool morning a welcome change from the wet and freezing weather that had plagued Melbourne earlier in that week.

Australian Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallists for walking, Jared and Claire Tallent, led the badge-wearing, pinwheel-toting group down Collins St, then along Harbour Esplanade and NewQuay before ending the jaunt within the Icehouse.

Rita Marigliani, head of the Medibank Community Fund, said the event was the first of its kind for Medibank and was aimed at encouraging people to exercise more.

“It’s really hard to get people away from their desks. Walking is the easiest way to engage in regular physical activity, plus it’s cheap and easy and people of all levels of fitness can join in,” she said.

Shauna Jones, national manager of Active Living for the National Heart Foundation said the national recommendation for physical activity was 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week.

“The whole idea is to get people out and be more active. We’re trying to promote a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

While there are currently no registered Heart Foundation Walking groups in Docklands, Ms Jones hopes to be able to establish walking groups here in the future.

“It’s about getting people in their community to get out and walk together, getting to know their neighbourhood. It’s a great form of social support, and all you need is a pair of shoes – and a coat!” she said.