We’re feeling ready to create some positive change and put our best foot or wheel forward into 2022. Want to join us? Here are some active, healthy and sustainable ideas for your New Year’s resolutions.
*Please do follow local and national guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic. You can read more advice on our Covid-19 and Sustrans page.
1. Start walking or cycling more local journeys
Why not skip the bus or ditch the car? Plan your route in advance and enjoy a more active journey.
This could be your commute, the school run, a trip to the shops, or to meet your family and friends.
Whatever it is, it's always positive to build some physical activity into your daily routine.
If the journey is a bit far, you could try a 'ride and stride'.
This is where you travel by bus, train or car and then walk or cycle the last few miles.
For help, check out our tips on commuting by bike with confidence and walking and wheeling the school run.
And we even have some advice on how to do your shopping by bike.
2. Do something for your local community
If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it's that having a strong community around us is very important.
Keep this momentum going in 2022 and commit to doing something for your local community.
You could talk to your neighbours about campaigning for a Low Traffic Neighbourhood.
Work with your local school to implement School Streets.
Or here’s 13 things you can do with your community to improve your street.
3. Give a few minutes to the National Cycle Network
There are lots of easy ways you can help look after your local route.
Next time you're out on a ride or walk why not pick up a few bits of litter?
Or you could give a grubby sign a wipe down.
And if you do spot any big problems, please report it to your local authority.
Help keep your local route tidy by picking up litter, or even by helping to repaint signs with our local volunteers.
4. Learn a new skill
Another lesson we learned throughout 2020 and 2021 was that it feels good to slow down and take time to do things for ourselves.
Make sure you continue to dedicate some time to you in the new year.
Learning a new skill is the perfect way to do this.
You could dig your bike out of the shed and learn to cycle.
You could perfect the art of how to maintain your cycle.
Or you could even learn more about your local wildlife and become a Sustrans wildlife volunteer.
5. Set yourself a personal active challenge
Keep yourself motivated by setting yourself a goal for later in the year.
This might be taking part in an organised event like a 5k run or a long-distance bike ride.
Browse our list of top routes on the National Cycle Network and plan your next challenge.
If you need the camaraderie to get you motivated, then look for running or walking groups near you.
GoodGym is a great example of an organisation that joins the best of physical health with community spirit.
Let 2022 be the year for you to inspire someone else to get outside or learn something new.
6. Pass your skills on
We’re always keen to learn - it’s one of our key values at Sustrans.
And we’re big fans of sharing knowledge and skills with others.
Let 2022 be the year for you to inspire someone else to get outside or learn something new.
So if you love cycling, why not become a bike buddy?
7. Discover a new traffic-free route
Did you know that there are over 5,000 traffic-free miles on the National Cycle Network?
These routes are perfect for a gentle walk or cycle to enjoy the outdoors.
Discover a new traffic-free route near you this year.
8. Do something to help protect the environment
It's now widely agreed that unless we make some big, systematic changes, climate change is going to get rapidly worse.
And so will its effects on our everyday lives.
COP26 helped grow our awareness, but we know that big changes are inspired by us as individuals.
Together, we can create a collective demand for a world we want to see.
2022 needs to be the year we all step up and do what we can.
Here are five things you can do in your local area to help protect the environment.
Big changes are inspired by us as individuals. Together, we can create a collective demand for a world we want to see.
9. Raise money for something you care about
Many charities have taken a big hit during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fundraising events have been able to get back to near normality, but every small thing we do can help.
Why not help out a cause that you care about and take on a fundraising challenge this year?
Keep your eye on our fundraising and challenge events page for fun ways you can raise money for Sustrans.
Every penny raised helps us to make it easier for people to walk and cycle.
10. Get mindful
Mindfulness is something we should all make time for.
It helps to improve our mental wellbeing and can reduce anxiety.
Set aside time this year to practise some mindfulness while exploring the outdoors.
Browse our list of apps to help with mindfulness.
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