Joys of walking

COME rain or shine, Blacktown Hospital pastoral care manager Jacob van Gent pounds the pavement to work every day not just on Walk to Work Day (Friday).

He happily leaves the car in the garage and strolls the 3km stretch from his Blacktown home to the hospital, only getting a lift in heavy storms.

“I do it for health reasons and I enjoy walking,” he said.

Mr van Gent was among thousands of people who happily hit the streets for the annual Walk to Work Day last week.

The Pedestrian Council of Australia (PCA) initiative highlights the importance of walking as a healthy activity.

It urges people to consider a mix of walking and public transport to get to work in a healthier and more environmentally way.

PCA chairman Harold Scruby said a mix of walking and public transport boosted health and reduced pressure on traffic and the environment.

“We can make a big difference to these problems,” he said.

Heart disease and diabetes kills more than 1400 Australians each year.

The PCA believes many of the deaths could be prevented if just 10 per cent of adults walked more regularly.