Shropshire Star

Telford & Wrekin Council ranked country's best for getting people active

Telford & Wrekin Council has been ranked first in the country for improving the number of people classed as ‘active’.

Published

The Active Lives Adult Survey by Sport England revealed that the number of adults exercising for at least 150 minutes a week has increased by 13.2 per cent, compared to the previous 12 months.

The survey also revealed a drop of 8.9 per cent in the number of inactive people doing less than 30 minutes activity a week.

Liz Noakes, director of public health at Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “This is fabulous news and reflects the rich leisure, green spaces and range of community based clubs and activities that we now have in the borough but there is still a lot to do.

“The Active Lives Adult Survey found that enjoyment is the biggest motivator for the active while, for those who are not active, perceived ability has the biggest impact on how much they do.

“This year will be an exciting time for people in Telford as community groups have been provided with grants to hold more than 20 events and activities especially designed to help inactive people develop a love for activity.

“Each event has been developed by people in communities directly for the residents around them, providing exactly what’s needed for each unique area. There will be something for everyone from BMX sessions, to gentle walks, couch to 5k sessions and many other types of activity.

“We are very lucky to have many passionate people in our communities, volunteers who want to make a difference to where we live, and work with us to create a better borough.”

Benefits

Chris Child, chief executive from Energize, the Active Partnership for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin said: “This is ground-breaking progress for the area and will have benefits right across health and community wellbeing.

“It’s particularly exciting to see inactivity levels fall suggesting the collaborative approach to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle is working.

"Typically we see increased levels of activity in spring and summer so we’d hope that these figures can further improve as even more people enjoy what the great outdoors can offer in the months ahead.”

Louise Mills, service delivery manager – health improvement and libraries, said: “It’s important for people to be active, apart from the obvious benefits to improving physical wellbeing there are a lot of mental health benefits as well.

“People who are active are more likely to say that they feel happier and less anxious compared to people who are inactive.

“My advice for people who want to be more active is to find something that you enjoy, don’t just exercise because you feel you have to. You are more likely to keep it up if you enjoy the activity. Find a group, make friends, there is no need to do it on your own."