By raising the level of staff interaction and exercise taken employers have found an increased level of productivity, and employees have a greater awareness of who is in their team and their capabilities and strengths. Help is at hand for companies who are looking for advice on starting out on improving their work based activities and interaction. The Great Scottish Walks recognize the need for employees to be fit and active at work and are working with three prominent Scottish organizations (Paths to Health, Healthy Working Lives and Healthy Living) to promote health in the workplace.

Taking part in a sponsored work activity and spending time as an organization together doesn’t have to be an hour in the pub after work it could be doing a group activity. The Great Scottish Walks are held in Edinburgh on 22nd June and for the first time Glasgow on 25 May 2008. The popular walks cover a distance of 1 – 6 and 12 miles so organizations can limber up and train in advance or just turn up on the day to take part. The Great Scottish Walk offer companies the opportunity to take part as a team or individuals, raise money for charity and community projects, train together, set up walking groups and opportunity to raise their overall fitness level. Entries are now open via http://www.greatscottishwalk.com/entry/index.php.

People who lead an active life and exercise – have a longer life - greater well-being - less stress anxiety and depression – as physical activity helps people relax and lowers blood pressure, greater ability to function at work and home. Being active makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight, improves sleep, lower work absenteeism, increases social opportunities and means lower risk of contracting illnesses such as heart disease and strokes and reduces the risk of developing some cancers and diabetes.

Paths to Health

Frances Bain, Workplace Walking Programme Organiser at Paths to Health has the following facilities and opportunities available to workplaces - workplace pedometer packs, walk organiser and leader training option and grants where required. The organization works in partnership with the Centre for Healthy Working Lives to promote walking at workplaces. Created in 2001, Paths to Health is a component of the Paths for All Partnership to contribute to health improvement in Scotland through the promotion of walking for health. Paths to Health serve as a key to the delivery of Scotland’s Physical Activity Strategy. The Alloa based company will be the sponsors of the Great Scottish Walk 1 mile distances (Golden Mile) both the Glasgow and Edinburgh locations. http://www.pathsforall.org.uk/pathstohealth/

Healthy Living

The Great Scottish Walks are recognised as actively participating in Scotland’s Healthy Living campaign. The physical activity campaign is part of the new healthy living campaign developed by the Scottish Government. The aim of the Healthy Living campaign is to promote a holistic approach to all round health improvement. Launched in February 2003 the campaign aims to encourage people to build more physical activity into their lives. This physical activity information shows there’s a great many advantages to being physically active and leading a healthier lifestyle. However, these healthy living facts don’t just apply to adults, but to children who don’t adopt a healthier lifestyle too. http://www.healthyliving.gov.uk/

Healthy Working Lives

For Healthy Working Lives their creating a strong link between health and work is fundamental to Scotland’s continued improvement of its health record. For them it is absolutely vital for business and employers that Scotland has a workforce capable of supporting a vibrant, wealth-creating economy, with quality public services that flow from this. The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives was set up to improve the health of working age people in Scotland by ensuring healthier and safer workplaces, promote healthier lifestyles and to develop the field of employability throughout Scotland. http://www.healthscotland.org.uk/hwl/index.cfm


The amount of hours Britons work means that during the course of our working lives we spend more time with our work colleagues than with our partners, family, loved ones and pets. Of course some may prefer it that way – but on the whole our relationships with our work colleagues are relatively fleeting with little or no opportunity to get to know our colleagues better.

Not every role offers the individual the opportunity to take exercise during the course of their working day or even on their commute to work and many small to medium sized organizations don’t have access to workplace leisure facilities. So for the majority of UK employees the reality is that during their working day there is very little opportunity to exercise fully as many of use now use computers and are desk bound for lengthy periods of time which means roles are more sedentary.

Under new management for 2008, the Great Scottish Walk Ltd is now owned and run by qualified nurse and teacher Priscilla Turner. Having worked across the public, private and voluntary sectors, her work in the clinical areas led to the foundation of a private company specializing in the development of Phlebotomy skills in primary care. Fundraising and charity involvement is a cause close to Priscilla's heart. She has extensive experience as a volunteer with the homeless and us currently a volunteer teaching assistant for children with special needs.

Launched in 1998, the great Scottish walks are one of Scotland’s premier fundraising events. Simultaneously supporting healthy living, these annual events offer the public the opportunity to be actively involved in beneficial health activities, community events and charitable fundraising, regardless of fitness and physical ability. Walkers can choose from three distances; 1 mile, 6miles or 12 miles offering an alternative to those not confident or capable of completing the full 12 miles and creating a day/event which will engage all areas of society. In 2004, a series of Wee Walks were also launched designed specifically to engage children up to 16 years.