Improving lives with exercise

Capital Nordic Walking
Caring. Courageous. Driven

Suzanne Crane is on a mission to support physical health, social connection and mental wellbeing for people living in Canberra’s retirement communities. As part of her role as an Volunteer Outreach Ambassador for parkrun for the ACT she became involved with Capital Nordic walking.

Suzanne is highly involved with Capital Nordic Walking and is the driving force behind a volunteer program for seniors called Nordic Stride 4 Life: Safer, Stronger, Together (NS4L).

Nordic walkers use specially designed walking poles similar to ski poles for their group fitness sessions. The activity is said to improve posture, reduce joint pain, improve cardiovascular fitness and reduce anxiety and depression.

Despite living with psoriatic arthritis, a painful autoimmune disorder, Suzanne goes above and beyond to ensure the program’s success. She innovatively organised shorter programs so older and less fit people could get involved.

Since the middle of 2020, more than 100 people aged from their 60 to their 90s have started Nordic walking at several ACT retirement villages.

“Residents of these communities can gain enormous benefit from Nordic walking,” says Suzanne. It’s more than exercise. Advantages also include spending time outdoors and the social connection of walking in a group.

Suzanne is excited about being nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “It bolsters my determination to continue volunteering.”

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. Capital Nordic Walking will invest in resources and training for the Nordic Stride 4 Life (NS4L) program at Canberra’s retirement communities.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here