Hospital staff have pledged to get fit with the help of a new walking scheme.
Torbay Hospital is opening four walking routes in and around the grounds to encourage staff and visitors to take a break from hospital life.
The aim of the project is to encourage staff to take breaks and get some fresh air and exercise. It is also hoped that visitors will use them to get some relief from stressful and emotional situations in the hospital.
The first walk, entitled the Green Route, was opened by hospital chief executive Debbie Stark in May.
She said: “With the pressures of today’s fast-moving world, many of us have slipped into the habit of eating our lunch at our desk and not taking a proper break.
“Spending just 15 minutes clearing your head and getting some exercise can be really beneficial, you come back refreshed and ready to face the rest of the day.
“My pledge is to do one of these measured walks at least twice each week, or walk with my family nearer to home at the weekends. I will schedule these walks into my diary wherever there is a short gap, and I will keep a pair of trainers in the office ready to go.”
The walks cover varying distances, with the Green Route being the longest at just under a mile.
Rachael Glasson, matron for antenatal and community maternity services, said: “A group of us in the maternity department have taken up the challenge to live healthier lives and aim to undertake the green route walk at least three times per week.”