It started with a walk and a pair of headphones. A few months later, dozens of women in Coalville are joining a women-only silent disco walking group set up by Liz, 47, to help mental health and bring people together.
Liz, from Coalville in Leicestershire, started going on walks while listening to music to try to help her mental health. On one of those walks earlier this summer, she decided to “take a gamble” and launch her own group for other women.
The group, Shake Up Coalville, now runs three themed walks each week.
Liz said perimenopause and anxiety had been common talking points for women in the group. Perimenopause commonly occurs around the age of 46, when someone has symptoms of menopause but their periods have not yet stopped. Symptoms can include anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods.
“There are not many groups locally for women where we can talk to each other about the perimenopause or anxiety,” Liz said.
She said she had been “overwhelmed” by messages from women about the effect the group had had on their lives. Some had struggled with anxiety and had not been able to leave the house for a “long time”, she added.
“When I put the headphones on, I don’t know how to explain the feeling it gives you,” Liz said.
“Especially when you have these ladies that want the same thing out of it.
“I lose myself so much in music.”
After she was made redundant from her job in June, Liz used the money to buy 20 sets of noise-cancelling headphones.
The first organised walk took place on 22 June. Social media videos then helped grow the group, and local businesses have since sponsored the venture to help increase the number of headsets to 50.
Liz said the group is open to any women who are lonely, want to make new friends, or just have fun.
She said 50 women would not be able to do the walk at once for safety reasons. The women cross roads in groups, with designated people watching out for everyone.
Sam Pope, 57, said taking part made her “heart sing”.
“We all bounce off each other and it’s a real feel-good activity,” she said.
“You put these on and it’s like you cut the world out and it gives you a real energy boost.
“It’s really brilliant for the mind, body and soul.”
Sue Barnett, 76, said: “When you get older you get put off coming to stuff like this, you think: ‘No, I am too old’.
“I think more than anything else, you always think people are going to look at you because you are old or you’re not going to be capable. But it doesn’t matter.”
Barnett said the group was “so welcoming” and “fantastic”.
“It’s just a really good way of having some exercise, moving your body and having a bit of a dance as you go along,” she added.
“Each and every one of these ladies I don’t think they realise, when I come here and we all put these headsets on, we are all smiling and laughing,” Liz said.
“They are helping me as much as I am helping them, believe it or not.
“We’re all in it together.”
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