Take the First Step : Summer 2021

From May 2021, the UK Government reduced a range of coronavirus measures, allowing people the opportunity to leave their homes and local areas to enjoy socialising with friends once more.

Whilst travel abroad remains uncertain, the natural beauty of the UK is right on your doorstep to explore. From Stonehenge to Hadrian’s Wall, England, alongside the rest of the UK, is filled with historic monuments, sites and buildings set in fantastic locations that simultaneously champion physical activity in English cities and the great outdoors.

 
After the confinement of lockdown, our feet are itching to find new adventures and enjoy the benefits of exercise. In the UK, physical inactivity is responsible for 1 in 6 UK deaths - this is equal to smoking. This is likely due to the fact that our current population is 20% less active compared to the UK population of the 1960s.

With this in mind, SOCKSHOP has partnered with English Heritage and the Jeep® brand to deliver Take the First Step, highlighting the importance of physical activity during the summer months and spotlighting some incredible English Heritage sites that you can visit with friends, family or as a solo explorer.

To support the preservation and protection of England’s historic spots, we are donating 10% of the RRP from the sale of each pack of the Jeep® brand Luxury Terrain Boot Socks to English Heritage in partnership with the Jeep® brand. They’re available in sizes for both men and women, so anyone can support their mission.

Super soft and super strong, these luxury terrain boot socks from the Jeep® brand are perfect for action lovers and adrenaline junkies. The rugged design is tough enough to withstand any terrain, yet they are smooth and soft to keep your feet in tip top condition.

The high cotton content means moisture is absorbed away from the skin so feet stay dry and cool, and the Jeep® brand logo is an assured mark of quality.

 
Aside from their rugged style and the warm, yet breathable benefits of their composition, the Jeep® brand Luxury Terrain Boot Socks are designed to protect, with a fully cushioned footbed, heel and toe, adding comfort while reducing shock from impacts, and a thickly ribbed leg for a secure fit and abrasion defence.

 
On an average day of walking, your feet experience forces totaling hundreds of tons - the equivalent of a fully-loaded cement truck. With this in mind, it’s important that you take care of them, and there’s no better gift for your feet than high-quality socks.

We all know we need to exercise, but getting physically active doesn’t need to involve five different dumbbell sets and twisting your leg over your head. Walking is a great way to stay active if you’re not a fan of the gym environment.

Typically, physical activity is associated with improved physical performance and weight loss. However, most people forget that physical activity has a significant impact on your health. There are a range of physical and mental benefits associated with activity, including the prevention and management of 20+ chronic conditions and diseases. This includes some cancers, type 2 diabetes, depression and heart disease.

 
Approximately 1 in 3 (34%) men and 1 in 2 (42%) women are not active enough to reap the health benefits of exercise. These health benefits include reducing your risk of:

• All-cause mortality by 30% 

• Dementia by up to 30% 

• Cardiovascular disease by up to 35%

• Hip fractures by up to 68% 

• Type 2 diabetes by 40%

• Depression by up to 30%

• Colon cancer by 30% 

• Breast cancer by 20%

Physical activity also increases the strength of your bones and muscles whilst simultaneously reducing your risk of falls in your older years.

Enjoying your physical activity in the Great British outdoors brings its own benefits too. When you’re outside, you increase your intake of Vitamin D. This vitamin is critical for strong bones, a healthy immune system and supports your absorption of important minerals, like calcium.

So take a break from the darkness of the gym, and get your physical activity in with a day out exploring some of the historic spots England has to offer.

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites - from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, and Roman forts on the edges of the empire to a Cold War bunker.

By welcoming visitors to explore the places where history really happened, the charity brings the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year.