Banbury cardiac nurse encourages walking for heart health
British Heart Foundation launches ‘Walk for Hearts’ campaign in February
A senior cardiac nurse in Banbury is encouraging people to walk throughout February for Heart Month, supporting the British Heart Foundation and their own health.
Ruth Goss said walking is one of the easiest changes people can make and has a real impact on wellbeing.
The campaign comes as the British Heart Foundation found in a survey of more than 4,500 adults that walking more is Britain's top health goal for 2026 - beating healthy eating and going to the gym.
The charity also spoke to 2,000 people living with heart and circulatory conditions and noted that walking is the most popular activity for managing their condition.
Ruth explained some of the benefits of going outdoors and getting your steps in.
“Physically, it can help with reducing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but also from an emotional wellbeing perspective, in our survey we found that people said it boosts their mental health and helps them feel that more connected with nature," she said.
She highlighted that being physically active can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 35%.
Ruth added that 30% of adults in the South East do not meet fitness recommendations and hopes Heart Month will give people the push to get moving.
The ‘Walk for Hearts’ challenge also comes at a time when many people may need motivation to continue with health goals set in January.
“We know that lots of people had New Year’s resolutions and for whatever reason they can stop following them - people have busy lives and also doing too many changes at once can mean you’re less likely to continue with them,” she said. "That's why we're asking people to focus on one.
“Even if you start walking a little bit and it becomes a habit rather than a chore, you’re going to be helping your heart health,” Ruth said.
Participants can choose to walk 28, 50 or 100 miles during February, incorporating the activity into their daily routine such as the school run, lunchtime walks, or weekend outings.