Ministry of silly walks
Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:32 am
Public bodies have spent tens of thousands of pounds of tax¬payers' money telling officials how to walk.
The Department of Health, HM Revenue & Customs, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England have all paid for the services of Urbanwalks.
The company produces walking route guides to encourage employees to become more active. But some of the pamphlets also include advice on how to walk properly.
Others carry warnings about side effects of walking – 'feeling warm, clammy and short of breath'.
A leaflet for Tameside Council, near Manchester, outlines six routes.
In a section worthy of John Cleese in the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks sketch, it advises walkers to keep their head centred and in line with their spine and to ensure their arm swing is natural.
It also tells staff that 'the heel should always touch the ground first with each stride, then the ball of the foot, then your toes – in that order'.
Emma Boon of the TaxPayers’ Alliance branded the leaflets 'patronising codswallop'.
She added: 'This highlights everything that is wrong with the public sector's attitude towards our money.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1ESEjc0z0