A walking group created by a former Sheffield student to combat the ongoing issue of loneliness in the UK has gone from 100 followers to over 8,000 in less then a year.
Another Hiking Collective was founded by Aimee Beaufort, 25, in February 2023 when she was struggling with feeling alone.
After she put out a social media post promoting a group walk the community of likeminded people formed.
Miss Beaufort said: “Another Hiking Collective allows people to explore places they may not have been to before because they were afraid to go alone, but it is more then a walking group, it brings strangers together to from connections and friendships and I think it helps motivate people to go outdoors and see how beautiful the UK is.”
With over 8,000 followers on Instagram and 1,900 on Facebook, the group went from just a handful of people attending to over 50 people travelling from around the UK to explore the landscapes across Sheffield and the Peak District.
Millie, 20, a student who regularly attends the hiking group said: “The group has had a massive positive impact on my life, I have made such close friends. who I talk to everyday. I get out more then I ever have done before.”
Miss Beaufort graduated from Sheffield Hallam with a Masters in sport and exercise psychology, and has focused her career on wanting to improve peoples lives through exercise and positive wellbeing due to her own struggles with mental illnesses. She saw the greater impact the outdoors has on wellbeing.
She said: “Regular access to green spaces have been linked to lower risks of depression and improved concentration and attention.
“I always find going outdoors allows me to spend time away from my phone and appreciate the world around me. When I started AHC I wanted to bring people together to enjoy the outdoors because it helped me so much at one of my lowest points.”
An average of 7.8% of people in the UK reported feeling lonely in a study done by campaign to end loneliness and that equates to 3.7 million people.
Spaces like the Another Hiking Collective tackle the issue, and Miss Beaufort has seen the positive impact it has on each individual who attends and how much these groups are needed in todays society.
Kerys, 33, a retail manager who attends hikes regularly said: “AHC has had a huge impact on my life, I went from suffering deeply with anxiety and depression to finding an incredible group of supportive friends whilst exploring incredible places around the UK.
“To watch people form friendships with people they may never have met in their everyday life makes me so happy. To build a community is so rewarding and it truly has a positive impact on the people who attend lives.”
To join the group and find out about upcoming walks, click here: Another Hiking Collective (@anotherhikingcollective) • Instagram photos and videos
