|
Make that change…
That’s the message from community leaders and health specialists who are
urging everyone in Wigan Borough to make 2010 their Change4Life year.
Change4Life is the Department of Health’s national movement that
encourages everyone to eat better, move more and live longer.
And its aim is a simple one – to let everyone in the borough know about
what’s on offer for them locally as part of Change4Life.
It could be walking, cycling, dancing, swimming and getting involved in
environmental activities, there’s plenty going on and lots of
opportunities to find out more.
Wigan was one of the first boroughs in the country to offer free
swimming for everyone and more than 58,000 took up the offer to get more
active.
Now, the council and its partners want to build on this by looking at
other activities that are on offer as part of the Change4Life movement
and how it can be made as easy as possible for the public to get
involved.
A key development is that the partners have now created an easy to use
portal via the Internet for residents to find out more.
The Wigan Life website -
www.wiganlife.com/change4life - will provide details of local
activities running as part of the scheme. So the start of a new you
really could be just a mouse-click away.
For those without access to the web – there are contact phone numbers
and you can find out more at council or leisure venues.
Partners including Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, NHS
Ashton, Leigh and Wigan and Leigh MP Andy Burnham have joined forces to
launch the Change4Life project in our borough.
Mr Burnham explains: “Free swimming has been a great success in our
borough and as a result I challenged the council, Trust and the other
partners to look at how we could build on this success and create a
project where we could offer a lot more than swimming – but something to
suit everyone’s tastes and ability levels.
“The Change4Life initiative gives us the perfect platform for us to be
able to do this.”
Leader of Wigan Council Lord Peter Smith says: “As well as producing
world-class facilities for sport and health such as Robin Park and Leigh
Sports Village, the council was one of the first in the country to offer
free swimming for all and it’s proved to be a real success.
“We know that there is an historical problem with poor-health and
obesity in our borough and that’s why Change4Life is the right choice
for Wigan.”
Dr Kate Ardern, Executive Director of Public Health for Wigan Borough
said: "Signing up for Change for Life demonstrates the strong commitment
of all partners in the borough to encourage and support local people to
lead more active, healthier lives. “Change4Life is a very welcome
addition and support to the great work we already have underway to
reduce adult obesity through Lose Weight Feel Great, to better prevent
heart disease and strokes which are our biggest single cause of
premature avoidable death in people under the age of 75 years through
the Heart of Wigan programme and the fantastic results seen already
through the provision of Free Swimming. I warmly endorse the approach of
Change4Life and let's get the Borough fit for the 21st Century."
Rodney Hill, chief executive of WLCT, said: “Wigan Leisure & Culture
Trust is delighted to be part of the Change for Life programme. Our aim
is to get Wigan active and this programme will offer numerous ways that
people can get involved and keep fit, at the same time as having fun.”
Change4Life will be launched in Wigan at Leigh Sport Village on Friday
March 12.
At the launch event invited guests will get to see demonstrations of
some of the great healthy activities and events on offer in Wigan – from
the Wheels 4 All cycling programme targeted at cycling opportunities for
people with disabilities and differing needs through to local dance
opportunities and how to make your own healthy smoothie.
For more information on Change4Life – visit the national website –
www.nhs.uk/Change4Life
For more information on the range of activities on offer in Wigan
Borough visit:
www.wiganlife.com/change4life
or call 01942 488481.
-ends-
Notes to editors:
Change4Life
There are five different activity offers as part of the Change4Life
project – Bike4Life; Dance4Life; Swim4Life; Muckin4Life and Walk4Life.
For more information on these activities in Wigan Borough see the
attached sheets.
For more information on Change4Life visit the website –
www.nhs.uk/change4life
Wigan Life
Wigan Council, NHS Ashton, Leigh & Wigan and Wigan Leisure & Culture
Trust, are joining forces to deliver a whole range of exciting new
initiatives – under the umbrella of Wigan Life.
As members of Wigan Borough Partnership, they aim to tackle inequalities
in health, education and skills, and raise ambitions and aspirations
across the community.
Progress is already being made, but partners recognise that changing
perceptions of Wigan borough – internally and externally – is an
important step.
Through the Wigan Life brand, they aim to present a more positive image
of the borough: a place that fosters aspiration and innovation, that’s
inclusive and welcoming, that’s vibrant – and getting healthier.
Wigan Life will be the lead brand on the kind of partnership projects
that present a more positive – while realistic – image of the borough
than the one which exists in many minds.
For more information contact Phil Green at Wigan Council’s Media and
Communications Team on 01942 404664.
►
Print this page
►
Return to Trust News
|
Wigan Life Logo
►
Click Here For Change4Life Booklet
|