LynnMall Shopping Centre is encouraging its retailers and staff to trade in their car keys for pavement-pounding sneakers in support of the annual Walk2Work Day on Wednesday 10 March. The national event, organised by Living Streets Aotearoa, offers free breakfasts to all who pledge to walk to work on the day.

The event is one of two community initiatives that LynnMall Shopping Centre hosts in support of walking. At least twice a week for the past 12 years, members of the New Lynn community have chosen to avoid car emissions and instead enjoy the smell of fresh coffee and muffins on their regular MallWalk at LynnMall Shopping Centre.

LynnMall Acting Centre Manager Linh Luong says the MallWalkers set a great example for staff and retailers. “The Walk2Work Day is all about getting our people thinking about using alternative methods of transport and incorporating that little bit of exercise into our everyday routines. Our MallWalkers are very supportive of this.”

LynnMall Shopping Centre was the first mall in New Zealand to offer MallWalking and over the years, walkers young and old have been showing others how it is done by coming to the mall bright and early for a brisk walk along the passageways.

“We now have over 50 members that take part in the sessions, all of varying ages,” says trainer Zoe Bond. “Occasionally we have mothers who join us, some bring their little ones for a stroll and others take it as an opportunity to have some down time. Others in the group are aged between 50 and 90 years old and we even have a regular walker in her 80’s that joins us.”

“It’s more than just a physical activity for our MallWalkers. It’s a weekly social event they all look forward to, where they often have coffee or breakfast afterwards.

“Walk2Work is a great initiative which has a close alignment with what we do. It is great to see this encouragement to get people out there and increase physical activity in the community.”

Auckland Networker for Living Streets Aotearoa Vincent Dickie says he is thrilled to have LynnMall Shopping Centre on board for the Walk2Work Day and hopes staff and retailers will opt to head to work on foot rather than reaching for the car keys. “We want to encourage people to incorporate health and fitness into their everyday life, and what simpler and better way to do this than by taking to the streets?”

The first 20 participants who pledge or register to walk to work will receive a free breakfast from Walk2Work sponsors McDonalds, One Square Meal, Cyclops Yoghurt and Sanitarium Up n Go. Breakfast will be served in the Lynnmall food court between 8am and 9am.