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Walker Rally in central park in Gothenburg

Summary

walker rally

In 2018, public officials in the City of Gothenburg visited the Walker Rally event in Oslo. The study visit gave a lot of inspiration in how the City of Gothenburg can implement a walker rally.

The process started in the autumn 2018 to anchor the idea with different sectors in the city. A project group started for the walker rally, lead by the development centre and public officials from the health promotion units.

The main idea with the rally was to increase awareness and visibility of older persons different needs in using public space. But also, to decrease the stigmatization in using walker, wheelchairs and walking sticks. By organising Walker Rally, the City of Gothenburg, wanted to in a joyful way promote physical activity and health.

To highlight this issue it was decided to have the walker rally on October 1; the International Day of Older Persons. The event had a full-packed programme that consisted of warm- up exercises, music and dance performances and prize awards for best decorated walker for single contestants and group contestants.

The Walker Rally had the distance of 600 meter and all participants were rewarded a medal. The race was held in the central park “Trädgårdsföreningen”. About 200 older persons joined the first big walker rally in Gothenburg. Volunteers from different organisations together with staff from the City of Gothenburg helped to implemented the rally. It was considered as a success and will be re-organised again in the autumn 2020.

Largest walker rally in Sweden

The Walker Rally attracted attention by media in Sweden. This was the largest walker rally ever made in Sweden. In a clip from the Swedish television, the winner of best decorated walker, Sinikka Rokka, talks about what the walker means to her, see https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vast/vinnaren-i-goteborgs-forsta-rullatorrally

Do you want to know more, please contact:

Sofia Tillman, Process Manager social sustainability, +46 31 368 00 97, sofia.tillman@stadshuset.goteborg.se

Website: https://goteborg.se/wps/portal/enhetssida/senior-goteborg/aldersvanliga-goteborg/rullatorloppet-/!ut/p/z1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8ziTYzcDQy9TAy9LTwNzA0CHb39nP0tgw0CzUz1wwkpiAJKG-AAjgb6BbmhigD4k9I_/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/

Key facts

Main target group: Older people with chronic health conditions or disability

Other target group(s): volunteers, city staff, relatives

Sector(s): Health, Long-term care, Urban development

Other sector(s): mobility, social inclusion, participation

Desired outcome for older people:
Be mobile

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:
  • Ageism
  • Accessibility
  • Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
  • Intergenerational activities
  • Inclusion
  • Participation

Contact details

Name: Emma Matsson

Email address: emma.matsson@aldrevardomsorg.goteborg.se

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Local authorities

Others involved in the project:
  • Civil Society Organisation
  • Social or health care provider
  • Volunteers

How collaboration worked: The Gothenburg Athletics association “Göteborgsvarvet – half marathon” borrowed safety vests and donated water bottles and some prizes. Collaboration worked really fine between the city district committees and the city office. The traffic management department and the park and nature management deparment gave support in the planning of the walker rally. The municipal company Göteborg & co, with responsibilty for turism, culture and event, could give guidance around the event.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages

Details on older people’s involvement: Older people participated in promoting the race, in training before-hand and in participating in the race.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: Yes

Was the impact positive or negative:
Positive

Please share with us what you found in detail:
The place was chosen carefully. It is a beautiful park in the central city that is highly appreciated by many seniors. Some people had not been visiting there for long, and expressed gratitude to be able to go there. Thanks to thorough planning the arrangement worked really well and smooth. No incidents were reported although there were a lot of walkers and wheelchairs involved. The thorough planning, with clear information what was ecxepcted from the volunteers and staff involved during the day was a key to success.

Feedback:
Mostly very positive feedback both before and afterwards. There was a buzz about the race both before, during and after the race. But some senior citizens and some of the staff who is working in institutional care were skeptical to the race. They claimed that the race would increase ageism and a negative view on elderly persons as disabled. But our experiennce was that after the race the critics were few. Persons who did not participate regret that they did not join and want to participate in the coming race. Many participants liked the event not only for the race but also in the wider extent; to manifest the importance of mobility, ageism and social participation. No negative feeback from the participants has reached the project management afterwards.

Expansion plans:
Planning for a new race in october 2020 is ongoing.

Looking back

Challenges:
getting all the required police approvals