Walk and Talk

Walk and Talk started during the height of Covid-19 as a response to members who were isolated and wanted to meet in person but weren’t ready to meet inside. This service was initially piloted exclusively with our befriending members and is now open to all members. You can sign up as a member here

What is Walk and Talk?

Walk and Talk is a weekly service set up around Bristol. This offers an opportunity for people to meet in a group, take a leisurely stroll around a local park and connect with others.

We hold two 1 hour circular walks every Wednesday from 10am – 11am and 11.30am – 12.30pm around Bristol with the exception of the Christmas Holidays. Walks are accessible to all mobility levels and there are staff and volunteers available to walk at different paces. Locations are chosen where we know there are open public facilities, nearby parking and that are accessible by public transport such as St George Park, Brandon Hill Park, Snuff Mills and Windmill Hill City Farm.

Once you sign up to Walk and Talk, details of the location, date and time of walks will be emailed in advance. If you are not able to access emails, please let us know and we would be able to arrange a weekly telephone call with an update.

Everything spoken about during your walk is non-judgemental and confidential, unless there are significant concerns about your safety (or someone else’s) – click here for exceptions to this rule

What can I talk about?

You can talk about whatever is on your mind. There are no rules and no problem is too big or small for them to listen to.

It is an informal service though. Our volunteers are volunteers, they are not trained counsellors, so while many of them will have lived experience of their own mental health struggles, they are not “mental health professionals”. They are peers, and although they may be able to tell you what things have helped them in the past, but they’re not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, this page may help you find more immediate and specialised support.

What if I run out of things to say?

That’s absolutely fine! We have staff and volunteers who will walk with you and help to facilitate the conversations. You also don’t need to speak at all during the walk if you don’t want to.

Coming for the first time?

When coming for the first time we understand that people are nervous, this is perfectly normal. We want you to feel as safe and as comfortable as possible so that you can get the most out of our walking service. The following list applies to all our Walk and Talk groups:

No referral or formal diagnosis required

Adults only – you need to be over 18 to attend

Advance booking needed – details of the walk location and meeting point will be emailed in advance

Free to attend you don’t need to pay anything

We’re sorry but currently we can’t allow dogs on the walks

You can attend as many walks as you wish. Some members choose to join us on both sets of walks in one day