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Encourage walking in mid-life to help prevent dementia, diabetes and frailty as we age

THE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on delaying or preventing dementia, disability and frailty in older life, and have put walking high up on the health agenda; advice warmly welcomed by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking. Among NICE's suggestions are that local governments, transport professionals and Town planners should encourage active travel; including walking; for local journeys by improving environments where people live and work, and using new and existing traffic management and highway schemes to make walking and cycling safer and easier.

The NICE guidance backs the work of Living Streets, which aims to create a walking nation through education and campaign initiatives, influencing decision makers and working with local authorities to create streets that are fit for walking. The charity offers a Community Street Audit service to help residents and planners create streets that are safe and well designed for pedestrians.  Dave Taylor, Living Streets Director (North West) said:- "It is encouraging to see NICE recommending we take a fresh look at our Towns and Cities, and adapt them to encourage people to walk. Walking eases congested roads, reduces pollution and helps create a healthier nation. We must shape our environments to help people stay in good shape."

While Living Streets organises events such as Walk to School Week for primary children each May and produces advice to inspire older people to walk too, the NICE guidelines issued, have put the focus squarely on encouraging walking in mid life to prevent dementia, diabetes and frailty as we age.   Dave Taylor added that:- "A lot of us are guilty of spending too long sitting at work, at home and when we travel. Physical inactivity leads to 37,000 premature deaths and costs the economy around £20 billion every year but by walking to work we can easily introduce activity into our day and improve our health both now and as we get older. This one small change in our daily routines can have a huge impact on our lives."

Post Office Robbery in Meilling

AN appeal for information has been put out by Merseyside Police Detectives, in Sefton, following a robbery, at a Post Office, on Saturday, 24 October 2015. The incident is said to have started when a man wearing a red scream mask, and wearing grey clothing, walked in to the Post Office / Connivance Store, located on Waddicar Lane in Melling, just after 9pm. The Police then told us that he is reported to have threatened staff with a knife, whilst demanding money. The offender then escaped with a quantity of cash and was last seen heading towards a nearby Doctors Surgery, towards Kirkby. We have been told that no 1 was reported to have been injured during the incident, but staff are said to have been distressed by their ordeal. A full forensic examination has been carried out at the scene and detectives are examining CCTV footage. Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information which could help them with their inquiries, is asked to contact Sefton CID on:- 0151 777 3059, or call Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111.