A new walk of life: The power of community

When was the last time you struck up a conversation with someone you didn’t know, or asked the unsuspecting person in the queue at the supermarket checkout how their day was going?

With new research¹ by Vitality revealing that one quarter (25%) of Brits can’t remember the last time they had a meaningful conversation with someone new, while more than a third (36%) actively avoid talking to people they don’t know, we could hazard a guess that the answer might be ‘no’.

Our national avoidance of chit-chat with strangers could be owing to the fact that we are still in the shadow of the pandemic, where we found ourselves unable to socialise in the ways we once knew.

It could also be down to the fact that we are increasingly living our lives through electronic devices and social media.

The sad reality being that, despite being more connected than ever before, the more time we spend on social media the more likely we are to feel lonely.

The same 2025 research found that 29% of Brits feel disconnected from their community, with this sense of isolation impacting physical wellbeing, so much so that 42% say their exercise levels have dropped as a result.

So, how do we get more people together IRL, as opposed to via URL? Could plucking up the courage to come out of our shell and make new, meaningful connections combat this rise in loneliness?

The answer really could be quite simple – a walk in the park, you might say.

Unleashing the power of community

Walking as part of a community can have huge benefits when it comes to combatting feelings of isolation.

Not only in the literal sense, because you’re walking in a group of people, but it also offers up an environment to open up emotionally to someone, when in another setting you might not have done so.

It’s “a brilliant way to build relationships as we are more likely to open up to someone if we’re walking side-by-side”, says Alaina Crystal, founder of girlhike, an east Kent-based walking and hiking group created for women, girls and those who identify as non-binary.

“It’s a great way to slow down and connect”

Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder of parkrun

Meanwhile, broadcaster and Vitality Representative, Gabby Logan, who backed Vitality’s latest research, said she too feels the benefits, socially, in slowing down for a walk.

“I’m a big fan of running but I can’t talk and run, I find it really hard so the beautiful thing about walking is you are able to have proper sustained conversation with somebody and it actually makes the walk go quicker because you don’t realise you are covering all those kilometres.”

She adds: “Some people just like to get stuff off their chest when they’re walking in a way that they wouldn’t if you were sat down with them.

“So, if a friend is having a hard time or one of the kids might need a chat it’s always a good way to get the conversation going.”

To help encourage more people to benefit from community walking and build healthier habits, Vitality has joined forces with parkrun to relaunch its parkwalk initiative, which encourages people to walk at their local parkrun.

Speaking about the parkwalk initiative, founder of parkrun, Paul Sinton-Hewitt, said how much he enjoys seeing people connecting when they come to walk at their local event.

“I love seeing people catching up during parkwalk, whether it’s with family members, friends, meeting someone new, or even using it as a way to have more difficult conversations.

“It’s a great way to slow down and connect,” adds Sinton-Hewitt.

Not registered for parkrun? You can get started here and follow the instructions to link your Vitality accounts.

Already have a parkrun account? Sign in to your parkrun profile and link your account with Vitality to start earning Activity points for your taking part parkrun or volunteering.

Walk for your life

Beyond the social benefits of walking, our physical and mental health can be improved with walking as well.

Research from the Mental Health Foundation found that even a short burst of brisk walking for 10 minutes increases our mental alertness, levels of energy and lifts our mood.

“Being outdoors, with a community and a little bit of movement is the best thing you can do for yourself,” Sinton-Hewitt says. “[There] are amazing health benefits that can be achieved by walking.”

It’s backed by science too.

Last year, the Vitality Habit Index research found that walking 10,000 steps three times a week for three years saw a 41% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while more than one third (36%) saw a reduction in the risk of stage 4 cancer.

“Walking is very low impact so can be done throughout our whole life and can be incorporated into what we do already during the day,” says Jonathan Kibble, Head of Exercise and Physical Activity at Vitality.

“If you’re walking up hills it can help to strengthen the legs, whilst also improving our cardiovascular health.

“As we age, we experience a loss of muscle mass – sarcopenia – and bone mineral density, which walking can help to preserve as we move into later life,” adds Kibble.

Similarly, Vitality’s Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Yetunde Bankole, adds: “Walking as a form of movement can help to reduce the risk of some physical health conditions, which in turn will have a positive impact on our mental health.”

No time like the present

So, we’ve established the health and social benefits of walking, but how do we fit walking into our already overflowing and busy schedules?

You could take a leaf out of Logan’s book and go for a post-dinner walk with your partner, or Kibble suggests creating a “fake commute – a quick walk around the block when you’re working from home – or getting out for a walk at lunch now that the days are getting longer.”

If you don’t have time to fit this in your day, he recommends combining activities you already do, such as walking meetings, taking the stairs and walking around whilst on the phone.

Bankole also advises starting small and gradually building up the number of steps we do.

“It’s kind for your body to give yourself time to adjust and build on those steps in a way that supports your resilience, [which in turn] means the increases can be sustainable,” she explains.

“parkwalk is a lovely thing you can do and a great goal to be able to walk 5k and then, who knows, you might end up running it,” adds Logan.

Yes, it might feel a little daunting to rock up to a big event if we’ve never done one before, but there are always plenty of friendly volunteers and tailwalkers there for those who might be worried about finishing last.

But as Logan concludes: “If you can get out on a walk and start chatting to people, in nature, you’re never going to feel worse for it.”

Do you want to be part of the UK’s biggest ever walking weekend? Why not bring a friend or family member down to your local parkrun and walk it on the 26th April. 

Vitality members who take part on the 26th will get 12 points instead of eight when they parkwalk (or parkrun) and scan their barcode. We look forward to seeing you there!

[1] A Talk in the Park: Experts Urge Brits to Walk and Talk for Wellbeing, Vitality, March 2025

Related: Vitality Ambassadors take parkwalk by storm