What's around my way?

Posted: Mon, 19 Oct 2020 09:30

What's around my way?

Where are the best places in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to go for some exercise? That's what Active Together is asking as it starts a high-visibility campaign promoting the benefits of physical activity.

Adults should aim to be active for 150 minutes per week to stay healthy or improve their health. That's only 30 minutes per day, five days a week. To be active means moving at a level that increases your breathing and heart rate. Three of the easiest ways you can be active are walking, running and cycling.

From today artwork featuring many local parks and open spaces will be popping up on billboards, kiosks and poster sites to pose the question "what's around my way?". These poster sites will be supported by a digital ad-van visiting high streets, carparks, schools and shopping centres highlighting the hidden gems Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have to offer.

Residents have used recent months as an opportunity to take more time to get out and discover what is on their doorstep. People took to the streets, footpaths, cycle routes, parks and woodlands near to their home to help boost morale and escape from the pandemic gloom.

Active Together wants to keep this momentum going as winter approaches by helping people stay mentally and physically healthy by safely getting active in their area.

Just visiting a green space can do wonders for our health. A 2018 study by the University of East Anglia found that exposure to green space has 'significant and wide-ranging health benefits'. These included reduced risk of type II diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease along with a multitude of mental health benefits. Imagine what you can do for your wellbeing if you add in a bit of activity at the same time!

Active Together is looking to help you change habits and adopt healthier behaviours when it comes to being active. There are many ways busy mums and dads, families, young people, office workers and older adults can build physical activity into their lives. It can all start with talking a walk around your local area, a gentle bike ride or a playing at the park.

The campaign artwork features QR codes which will give the public instant access to the Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport website. Visitors will find a wide range of information and links on the on where, how and why to get active on their doorstep.

A social media campaign highlighting the miles of footpaths and cycle tracks, local parks and woodlands Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has to offer will be supported by the Active Together partners. Partners include Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council, all Leicestershire District/Borough Councils and our School Sport & Physical Activity Partnerships, to list a few.

What is Active Together?

Active Together is supporting people to get active safely, in their own way.

Active Together is a movement championed by Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport and its partners to help the public get and stay active.

Getting active can be as easy as doing something that gets you breathing faster and feeling warmer. Active Together is here to support you get active in your way. Something is always better than nothing, no matter how small.

Active Together partners include:

Active Blaby

Blaby District Council

Active Charnwood

Charnwood Borough Council

Choose How You Move Leicester

Active Harborough

Harborough District Council

Active Hinckley

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

Active Leicester

Leicester City Council

Leicestershire County Council

Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport

Melton Sport and Health Alliance

Melton Borough Council

Mini Bikers

North West Leicestershire Health and Wellbeing Team

North West Leicestershire District Council

Active Oadby and Wigston

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Active Rutland

Rutland County Council

North Charnwood School Sport Partnership

South Charnwood School Sport Partnership

Leicester City East SSPAN

Leicester City West SSPAN

Rutland School Sports Partnership

Melton and Belvoir School Sport Partnership

North West Leicestershire School Sport Partnership

Hinckley and Bosworth School Sport Partnership

South Leicestershire School Sports Partnership

Soar Media

What's around my way?

Tags: A-Z Sport, Active Lifestyle, Active Lives, Active Professionals, Active Schools, Active Spaces, Active Together, Active Travel, Featured-bigger, SPort