About

In July 2025 we will be walking the West Highland Way, ending with an ascent up Ben Nevis, to raise funds for Move the Masses and their Move Mates project.

Move the Masses is a charity close to our hearts which is at risk of closure. If the charity shuts down, hundreds of people will be left without vital support from the Move Mates project.

Move Mates enables people who face barriers to leaving their homes to enjoy companionship and the outdoors. The charity pairs each individual with a local, trained volunteer who meets them at their front door every week for a walk and a chat. There is no cost to accessing Move Mates - further improving accessibility to support.

A simple but often life-changing project, Move Mates tackles social isolation and loneliness, and improves mental and physical health outcomes as well as community cohesion. Each individual sets their own goals, the walks are tailored to their personal wants and needs and support is open-ended.

Barriers to accessing the outdoors include, but are not limited to:

Long term health conditions, Neurological conditions, Mental health conditions, Disabilities, Lack of confidence, Mobility issues, Fear of falling, Recovery from accident or illness, Social Isolation

A message from a Social Prescriber who refers people to Move Mates:

"I have referred many isolated, lonely inactive patients to Move Mates over the past few years and always had great feedback from patients about the service. People really value the social connections formed with the volunteers as well as the physical and mental health benefits from outdoor mobility. For some patients their Move Mate volunteer may be the only person they talk to each week and the only reason they leave the home to exercise. I know my own family member really loves her Move Mate and what it gives her; she, like others, will be devastated to hear this amazing charity can not continue to do their valued work. I really hope the funding is found to continue this much loved and valued service. There is nothing else to fill this need."

A message from a Move Mates' Supported Walker:

"I would be scared to even imagine what state of health I would be in if I did not have the opportunity to receive such invaluable help from Move Mates. This is a window to the world. This is a ray of light through a cloudy, dark sky. These are people who save people's lives, who consciously and deliberately decided to help complete strangers. Move Mates provides the opportunity to see the world, feel the world, hear a living voice, participate in a conversation when you are heard and listened to, and are no longer sat at home in solitude.

If you make the decision to contribute to maintaining this charity, which consists of volunteers who donate their time free of charge to people who need their help like air, you would contribute to the greatest thing - helping people's health and well-being. Otherwise, I will again be an invisible person who sits alone in fear of being isolated from the whole world.”

Having both personally experienced the impact of mental, physical and neurological health conditions on either ourselves or loved ones - we are keen to promote the benefits of physical activity and access to nature which have been so vital to us building and maintaining our own mental and physical strength. We recognise how brave the people supported by Move Mates can be to step out of their front doors and walking the West Highland Way will be a challenge we are spurred on to complete with their bravery in mind.

Please help us to #SaveMoveMates

With many thanks,

Hattie and Libby

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