The Get Swindon Active Partnership* launched their new physical activity strategy on Monday 3rd October to improve the health and wellbeing of Swindon people through increasing the number of people who are regularly active.

The strategy sets out how the partnership will, over the next 3 years, work together with local communities and organisations to ensure everyone in Swindon can experience the physical, mental, and social benefits of being active.

The Strategy has been developed to combat the high rate of inactivity in the town, which is reported to have the second highest percentage of adults who are inactive in the South West region. The Chief Medical Officer for England recommends adults aged between 19 and 64 should aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity (activities which leave you slightly out of breath), or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity, each week. Alongside this, adults should aim to take part in activities which develop or maintain muscle strength. This could include resistance training, or even everyday activities like gardening or carrying shopping bags.

Whilst 70% of adults in Swindon participate in 150 minutes of physical activity per week, 25% are not active enough, increasing their risk of developing diseases and long-term health conditions associated with inactivity. These include heart disease and strokes, diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and depression.

The Get Swindon Active Partnership have identified increasing physical activity levels among the least active groups as a priority within their new Strategy. Latest figures from the Sport England Active Lives Survey show that 38% of adults in Swindon over the age of 65 are inactive. This rises to over 50% for adults aged 65 and over living with a long-term health condition or disability.

The Strategy Launch Event, held at Foundation Park, aimed to showcase the variety of opportunities available to these residents to be more active within their local area and at home. Alongside this, there were presentations from local Swindon people whose lives have been impacted through increasing their physical activity levels.

These include Charley Messen, aged 29, who has a rare genetic condition, which has been helped by being active and losing weight. She said: 'Being more active has really helped my confidence as well as my mental and physical health. When I was 26, I was told I could die before my 30th birthday, since then with support I have lost weight and now my condition is stable.'

Presentations were also delivered by Ben Fox, who has won medals at several European and World Championships, and the 2020 Paralympic Games in Wheelchair Basketball. Ben's first experiences of physical activity took place at an Access Day delivered by the Swindon Live Well Team.

A third speaker was Martin Palmer, a previous participant of the Swindon Town FC Community Foundation 'Football Fans in Training Programme', who decided to participate in the programme after reflecting on the impact of his poor levels of fitness on his physical health. Through participating in the programme Martin has become regularly active and has even taken on the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro to raise money for a local Swindon Charity.

Following speeches attendees had the opportunity to take part in the 'Wheels for All' Inclusive Cycling Session taking place at the Athletics Track, led by the Swindon Live Well Team.

Steve Boocock, CEO of Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP), who are a member of the Get Swindon Active Partnership said: "Encouraging physical activity should be a priority for everyone in Swindon. We recognise though that being physically active is not entirely an individual choice, but a result of what spaces, places and opportunities are available to individuals and communities. There is no single solution that will see more people in Swindon being active but bringing together partners, working towards this common goal and focussing on some key themes will make a difference."

Residents can find opportunities to be active within their local area and at home, and access advice on building movement into daily life by visiting the local offer website here.

You can find out more about the Get Swindon Active Strategy by clicking here.

*About the Get Swindon Active Partnership

The Get Swindon Active Partnership is a collaboration between Swindon Borough Council, other public sector bodies, private organisations and community/voluntary groups with an interest in and/or a responsibility for physical activity, sport and/or healthy weight. Their aim is to improve public wellbeing through helping people increase their physical activity levels and achieve a healthy weight.