Doctors prescribing walking instead of medicine to boost wellbeing

We tend to think of a prescription from the doctor as physical medicine - but people in Lincolnshire and Newark are starting to be prescribed social activities instead.

From gardening to walking groups, figures show for the 12 months to March last year over over 4,500 people accessed social prescribing.

There's now almost eighty volunteer led walking groups across Lincolnshire and Newark.

We went along to Skellingthorpe Strollers near Lincoln, who meet every Thursday, to learn more about the benefits first-hand.

Nick Grimshaw is walk leader and has been attending the group for 13 years, "the social aspects at the strongest point really," said Nick.

"Everybody's chattering away. Most of them ask where they've been afterwards, because they don't know - so busy talking to each other and sorting the lives problems out."

"Walking always makes you feel alive again, it's just so fulfilling."

Ann Ransom is Nick's sister and has also been attending the group for over a decade.

"It's brilliant. There's nice little group, very close knit. We always go for a cup of coffee afterwards, which adds to the pleasure of it," said Ann.

"Wellbeing is the new 'in word'. If you feel good inside you can pass on some niceness to somebody else."

Loneliness can have a major impact on health, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression but also heart disease and strokes.

Theresa Cansdale works for the Lincolnshire Voluntary Partnership and helps people find the right social activities for them - she says the benefits are life-changing," It takes away the emotional impact of being lonely, and they begin to enjoy life again," she said.

"They begin to thrive. It has that positive impact on their physical well being.

"So they don't go to the GP so much. They're making new friendships, and with those friendships they don't just meet at these groups, they start meeting outside the groups."