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Our Strathdale Walking Group celebrated their 10th anniversary with a morning tea at Kennington Reservoir today.

About 30 walkers turned up for the event including five members of the original group.

BCHS volunteers were also acknowledged by group co ordinator and healthy lifestyle facilitator Kathy Shatwell.

BCHs manager Kaye Graves congratulated the group on reaching their 10-year milestone.

Kaye said the group was about walking to stay healthy and enjoying a social outing with friends.

Among the group of six ‘originals’ were husband and wife Bill and Anne Flinn.

The couple joined the Strathdale Walking Group after moving to Bendigo from Melbourne in 2006.

“We were part of a health community group in Belgrave called Ranges,” Bill said.

“The only way you got into the group was to have a heart attack – it was a recovery group for heart attack victims. Then we went into the ‘Graduates’ - a walking group very similar to this and that’s why we joined when we got up here.

“In Seniors Week we saw this group advertised and thought it sounds like what we had in Melbourne so we joined up and we’ve been there ever since."

Bill said the camaraderie was the thing he enjoyed most about the group.

“Some people think I come for a walk, but I don’t,” he laughed.

“I used to do three laps when I started but standing up too long is a bit of a problem for me at the moment so I do one lap and sit down.

“I feel the benefit for it.”

Bill was given the honour of cutting the special Strathdale Walking Group 10th birthday cake.