Vision and Rationale
'Building active, healthy, successful and safe North Lincolnshire communities through increased participation in sport, physical activity and active recreation'
By 2012 we want to see more people in North Lincolnshire enjoying the benefits associated with choosing a more active lifestyle.
Success will mean that more people in North
Lincolnshire are:
Aspiring to be physically active
Taking part in sport, physical activity and active recreation
Becoming involved as volunteers to help support opportunities for sport and active recreation
Walking and cycling more to get around (known as active transport)
Satisfied with the opportunities for sport and active recreation that are available in their local communities
1.2 Specific aims for the strategy
Active Choices, Active Futures
To increase overall participation in sport and active recreation in North Lincolnshire by 1 per cent each year between 2007 - 2012
To ‘close the gap’ in participation of under participating groups by 25 per cent (These are women, older people, people with disabilities, people living in deprived communities and black and minority ethnic groups.)
To build local capacity to support opportunities for sport and active recreation.
Our aims support national and regional drives to increase physical activity levels. Progress will be measured by the percentage of adults who do at least thirty minutes of moderate sport and active recreation three or more days per week. This supports the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer that thirty minutes of moderate exercise is needed on five or more days to get general health benefits. To increase participation by one per cent each year is an ambitious target matching the best rate of improvement achieved by more active countries such as Canada and Finland. Research has shown that in the UK we participate in physical activity more then some European countries (Spain and Italy) but in Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands which are similar to the UK in terms of culture and weather, participation in physical activity is higher. In certain 'hard to reach' groups (women, older people and young adults) participation is even further behind. (Compass 1999).
In North Lincolnshire an overall one per cent increase in participation means encouraging 1500 more people each year to take part in 30 minutes of moderate sport and active recreation, three times a week. However, if we’re to close the equity gap in participation we actually need to specifically focus on increasing participation by adults in ‘hard to reach’ groups in North Lincolnshire. These are women, older people, people with disabilities, people living in deprived communities and black and minority ethnic groups, who are inactive or rarely active. Details of current levels of participation for these groups are included in Appendix 2. It is important to stress that a focus on work to increase participation by these groups is 'embedded' in the strategic priorities and key actions.
Active People Survey 2006 - Headlines
21% of the population nationally take part regularly in sport and active recreation (at least 3 sessions of 30 mins per week). In North Lincolnshire 19.1% achieve this level of activity.
Nationally 50.6% of the population are inactive, In North Lincolnshire 53.4% are inactive.
Sport England 2006
1.3 What do we mean by sport and active recreation?
Sport and active recreation means:
‘All forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aimed at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships, or obtaining results in competition at all levels.’
Council of Europe, European Sports Charter 1993
Figure 1 shows the range of physical activity. It also shows the relationships between active living and sport and active recreation. While there are obvious overlaps, particularly around walking and cycling (transportational and leisure activity), it is important to state that the focus of this strategy will be the contribution of sport and active recreation to raising activity levels.
Active travel has been specifically included in the scope of this strategy. It recognises that improvements in the infrastructure for walking and cycling to work for example, will impact on people changing to walking and cycling in their leisure time. The strategy acknowledges the lead role of the North Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) in promoting active living, and the broader aspects of physical activity.
1.4 Sport and active recreation playing its part
It is important to recognise the contribution that sport and active recreation can make to government and local community priorities. There is now a lot of
evidence to show the role that sport plays in improving the quality of life and well-being of communities.
‘Sport is a powerful thing. It can motivate and inspire people, whilst at the same time being beneficial for their physical and mental well-being. It brings individuals together, and has the ability to challenge attitudes and change lives.
Sport also plays a crucial part in supporting wider government agendas like health, crime reduction and social inclusion. It teaches youngsters about self-respect and teamwork. It helps adults stay fit and healthy. Sport adds to the economy and builds stronger safer communities.’
Sport Playing Its Part (Sport England 2005)
Research shows that sport and active recreation can contribute to four key areas, which are at the heart of social policy (Sport Playing Its Part Sport England 2005).
- Healthier communities
- Safe strong sustainable communities
- Economic vitality and workforce development
- Meeting the needs of children and young people
1.4.1 Healthier communities
Regularly taking part in sport and active recreation can increase life expectancy. This is through a reduction in levels of illness and death rates. Specific health benefits include the reduced risk of coronary heart disease, strokes and osteoporosis; obesity reduction and weight management, and psychological benefits including increased selfesteem and a feeling of well-being.
For people in later life, regular activity can help them lead an independent life and it also promotes healthy growth in young people. Improving the
health of our communities also has an economic benefit by reducing sickness absence in the work place.
Walking Your Way to Health
Over 400 people in North Lincolnshire take part in a ‘Walking the Way to Health’ walk every month. Everyone is welcome to take part. As a result of the project, 20 walking groups have been set up. Walking has become a popular way of increasing physical activity in the area.
‘There are few public health initiatives that have greater potential for improving health and wellbeing than increasing the activity levels of the population of England’
Chief Medical Officer Dept of Health 2004
Inclusive Fitness ActivatorAlan Rayment is North Lincolnshire Council's first Inclusive Fitness Activator. Alan, from Crowle, lost his legs in 2000 and has been a wheelchair user since 1998. Alan joined the gym at Scunthorpe Leisure Centre. Since then he has got stronger and lost the weight he gained since becoming a wheelchair user. Alan has also raised thousands of pounds for local charities by taking part in the wheelchair events in the London Marathon and the Great North Run. In his role as Inclusive Fitness Activator his main aim is to encourage people with disabilities to use the fitness suite facilities at Scunthorpe Leisure Centre. This has state of the art specialist equipment for people with disabilities.
Between 2006 and 2007 1492 visits have been made to Scunthorpe Leisure Centre Fitness Suite by people with a range of disabilities. This represents 4.2 per cent of overall attendance.
‘I have achieved so much and I want to dispel the myth that being disabled creates barriers to keeping fit’ said Alan.
1.4.2 Safe Strong Sustainable Communities
Sport and anti-social behaviour
Over 200 young people have taken part in football sessions organised by the council’s Leisure Services with the help of the police and community safety. This has helped reduce anti-social behaviour in North Lincolnshire by five per cent.
The above is a key priority for government and local communities. Participation in sport and active recreation can contribute in the following ways.
- Developing social networks.
- Engaging hard to reach groups.
- Reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour through providing new activities and role models.
- Reducing accidents, for example through the teaching of swimming and safe cycling.
- Reducing the fear of crime through providing activities in consultation with young people, which take them away from the streets.
- Improving the quality of the built and natural environment through well-designed, high quality facilities and open spaces for sport and active recreation.
- Encouraging sustainable travel – the development of strong local infrastructure for sport reduces the need to travel. The development of safe environments for walking and cycling will encourage active transport.
Active design - Home Zones in Crosby
Home Zones is a concept that provides a pedestrian friendly street and improves the quality of space for local residents. The first Home Zone was created in Crosby in 2005 and this involved significant involvement of local residents. The result is a safe attractive environment that is pedestrian friendly and promotes informal play. These are important elements of future plans to increase physical activity
levels. North Lincolnshire Council will continue to promote such initiatives seeking to achieve best practice in ‘active design’ in planning and development work.
1.4.3 Economic vitality and workforce development
Creating a strong local economy, which provides jobs and generates wealth, is key to creating a place where people want to live and work.
Sport and active recreation can help by:
- Providing direct employment and adding to economic output.
- Acting as a catalyst for investment and regeneration, particularly through the development of new facilities.
- Providing a positive image of an area as a place to live and work.
- Improving the skills and qualifications of the workforce. Sport provides options for training and development, outside of mainstream provision and the opportunity to develop transferable skills.
- Reducing the cost of sickness absence in the workplace due to ill health.
Getting active at work
North Lincolnshire Council’s Leisure Services has introduced physical activity at work. The initiative started at Hewson House. We asked staff what activities they wanted to do – and then set out to provide them. Over 20 people now take a regular lunchtime walk. The scheme is so popular that 30 people also take part in yoga sessions. We are now working to introduce a range of lunchtime activities in all council buildings.
1.4.4 Meeting the needs of children and young people
Meeting the needs of children and young people is a top priority for the public, central and local government. The Children Act 2004 and the framework for services Every Child Matters: Change for Children, sets out the key outcomes to be achieved. Sport can make a significant contribution to these outcomes.
- Being healthy – Taking part in sport and active recreation contributes to a healthy lifestyle, reducing obesity and the risk of illness and ill health.
- Staying safe – sport can promote community involvement and reduce the chance of young people becoming involved in, or victims of, anti–social behaviour. It can also help to reduce accidents (learning to swim and safe cycling for example).
Fit for Football
This is a project that helps raise awareness of physical activity, healthier eating and the affects of smoking. Fit for Football targets girls and boys aged between nine and 11.
As part of the project, young people take part in an exciting and practical programme of physical activity. They make healthy snacks and talk about healthier lifestyles. Over 4,000 young people in North Lincolnshire have benefited from the project so far and it continues to grow.
Swimlincs
Swimlincs is the council’s learn to swim programme. Over 2,600 children per week go to after school swimming lessons at four of the council’s leisure centres. And 2,267 school children per week have swimming lessons during school time as part of the National Curriculum. The number of pupils reaching the Key Stage 2 swimming target over the last three years has risen from 27.8 per cent to 41.5 per cent. Schools receive a two hour water safety session before their swimming lessons begin. And extra swimming tuition has also been funded for pupils who don’t achieve the Key Stage 2 target; these are both during and after school.
Swimlincs is recognised by the Department for Culture Media and Sport as an excellent example of good practice in providing swimming lessons.
- Enjoying and achieving – sport can help learning and promote educational success. It can also contribute to personal and social development and the enjoyment of leisure time.
‘High quality PE and school sport produces young people with the skills, understanding, desire and commitment to continue to improve and achieve in a range of PE, sport and health-enhancing activities in line with their abilities.’
Department for Education and Skills PESSCL
Strategy 2004
- Making a positive contribution – sport connects young people, reduces the likelihood of involvement in anti-social behaviour and encourages positive behaviour and relationships.
- Achieving economic well-being – involvement in sport and active recreation helps young people become economically active. This is done through training and employment opportunities.
