trundl-ing For Good!
We are delighted to welcome social entrepreneur Hilary Mines to talk about her innovative and unique walking app, trundl, which turns your everyday walks into donations to UK charities! Hil’s story is an inspiring tale of overcoming personal challenges to create a force for social good.
For three decades Hil, the founder of trundl, a unique UK walking for charity app, has lived near the Peak District and enjoyed many hours exploring its natural beauty. However, in her late forties, circumstances changed dramatically. Not only did she require urgent surgery on a compressed spinal cord, in 2021 she learned that her painful legs were a sign of undiagnosed hip-dysplasia. Finding herself thus unable to walk long distances quite literally changed her life.
Always one to look for the positive, Hil’s slower walks in our stunning National Park brought a new perspective on the physical and mental health benefits that even short walks can bring. This triggered the thought:
What if an everyday walk could make a social difference – and what greater impact could we all achieve together?
A Unique Walking for Charity App
In 2022, this idea came to life in the walking for charity app, trundl. But it stands on the shoulders of much planning. Hil told us:
“I’ve long been passionate about a business idea that, in an affordable way, could motivate people to be active outdoors for their own health, while supporting UK charities and helping others at the same time.”
How does it work?
Quite simply, trundl-ers download the app to their phones and press ‘Go trundling’ every time they head out for a walk, whether that’s a quick trip to the shops, a daily dog walk or a long hike in the hills. Their steps are counted and are added to a community ‘trundl-ometer’, which collects the steps of everyone using the app each month.
Users can track their activity and how far they’ve walked, but there’s no competition; everyone is walking for a common goal, rather than to outdo one another.
And here’s the clever bit … the steps of the trundl community are then converted into donations for a selection of UK charities, with the money sent directly from trundl and matched by brand partners. trundl-ers know that every month they’re helping worthy causes, just by walking in the great outdoors, without needing to donate or raise any funds themselves!
The app is very easy to use and available via the App Store or Google Play. New users can try it for 21 days for free. After that, membership costs just £3.99 per month – less than the price of a cup of coffee!
trundl’s current selected charities are:
National Parks UK
Dogs for Autism
Ramblers
Move Against Cancer
The Tree Council
Sussex Wildlife Trust
The Trussell Trust
Each month the charity changes on rotation, with the trundl community raising funds for the chosen charity for that particular month.
A recent trundl helped The Tree Council to plant an orchard and hedging in a UK school, enabling generations of children to feel personally connected to nature and local food sources. The previous trundl raised money to help Dogs for Autism train another Autism Assistance Dog, empowering people with autism to achieve their goals and enhancing their emotional and physical wellbeing.
Hil continues:
“It’s a win-win for all. Members gain a strong sense of social good from tracking their activity and personal charity impact. They can also track CO2 savings when leaving the car behind. We encourage people to think about this by planting orchards and hedgerows in schools with The Tree Council when we hit specific CO2 Saver targets.
Ultimately, trundl’s vision centres around the power of one person multiplied thousands of times over to make a huge difference to people’s lives and the natural spaces we love.”
trundl-ing in the Peak District
With its moorlands and lovely villages and towns, the Peak District is without doubt a hiker’s paradise, but it also offers many options to those who want shorter and more accessible walks.
“The one-to-two-mile walks, while gentler on my poorly hips, still bring amazing mental and physical benefits. Did you know that just 10 minutes in nature can reduce blood pressure? Or that we’re at our most creative when walking at three miles an hour”? says Hil.
A few of Hil’s favourite routes include:
The Monsal Trail, a former railway line transformed into a walking and cycling path. “Amazing views and you can walk as much or as little of it as you want.”
Ladybower Reservoir offers a shorter three-mile circular route that’s do-able for people of all fitness levels.
Macclesfield Forest has a short loop from Trentabank carpark around the Reservoir. “Lovely walk through the forest, around the bottom of the reservoir, inevitably ending for a well-earned drink at Leather’s Smithy pub’’.
For more inspiration, especially if, like Hil, you struggle with stiles or more rugged paths, the National Parks have created wonderfully accessible routes through the Miles Without Stiles initiative.
For a huge choice of Peak District Walks, from easy, short saunters to long distance treks, don’t forget to check out the Let’s Go Peak District Walks Page. Each walking route is free to download and has easy-to-follow directions, and you’ll find suggested walks from all over the National Park.
Find out more about trundl
You can find out more about trundl here: https://trundl.co.uk/
The app can be downloaded via the App Store or through Google Play.
The trundl team is small and friendly, and based just outside the Peak District National Park in Congleton. They’re always happy to help with any questions you may have about trundl – drop them a line at [email protected] if you need any further information!
