Our Story

Girls Who Walk Aberdeen was created by Jane Ray Duncan in January 2025.

I moved back to Aberdeen in May 2024 after a tough breakup and a lot of life changes. I hadn’t lived in Aberdeen since I was seven, so while my family were here, the city itself felt unfamiliar. I had no friends locally and found it really difficult to meet new people. I hit a pretty low point and realised I needed to do something to change that.

While living in Edinburgh, I’d heard about Girls Who Walk Edinburgh and was struck by how kind, welcoming and supportive the community seemed. It felt like exactly the kind of space I would have needed — somewhere safe and low-pressure to meet people. I realised Aberdeen was missing something like this, and I decided to give it a go.

I promoted the very first walk on Facebook group pages and Instagram, and it quickly started to spread. The first walk took place on 1st February 2025 at Seaton Park. I honestly wasn’t expecting many people to show up — and if I’m being completely honest, part of me was terrified that no one would come at all.

But 40 women turned up that day.

Seeing so many amazing women come together — many of them in the same position I’d been in — was such a powerful and emotional experience. From that moment, Girls Who Walk Aberdeen became something far bigger than I ever imagined. I’m incredibly grateful for the community that’s grown from it and so proud of what it’s become.