A CHARITY worker who runs walking groups in Dunfermline and Fife is just champion.

A panel of expert judges were wowed by Magdalena Augustyn-Lygas’ co-ordination of the Sole Sisters community health walk project, run by Fife Migrants Forum.

Magdalena scooped the Community Walking Champion title and was crowned Overall Champion in the first ever Scottish Walking Awards

The Sole Sisters project brings together women from the migrant and local community through walks in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, providing regular health walks and conversation cafes, enabling participants to make social connections and build confidence speaking English.

During the pandemic, Magdalena has worked tirelessly to keep the project going, organising online workshops and group activities wherever restrictions allowed.

Recently, she has supported the Scottish Health Walk Network to translate Paths for All’s health walk advice into nine new languages to reach even more people across Scotland.

She said: “I am delighted to win this award for the work we have done through the Sole Sisters walking group.

"The project has been really important for reducing barriers to walking for migrant women, increasing cultural understanding and reducing isolation, and increasing physical and mental wellbeing.

“While it has been challenging to keep the work going during the pandemic, we are so pleased with what the project has been able to achieve. Sole Sisters is not only about walking but also about building strong, lasting relationships within the community.”

The Media/Online Walking Champion award went to Ross Cunningham in Fife. His Mountains Mend Minds social media platform has helped people improve their mental health through hillwalking, in particular supporting men who can be reluctant to discuss such issues.