03-Aug-11
Leisure Connection has signed up to the Department of Health’s Public Health Responsibility Deal, which aims to work with industry to improve the nation's health. There are five strands, which include food, alcohol, behavioural change, physical activity and health at work. Leisure Connection has signed up in the area of physical activity and is pledging to encourage and assist more people to become more physically active.
To support this aim, the Department of Health has set out five physical activity collective pledges and Leisure Connection has signed up to four, which include:
• Using local presence to get more children and adults more active, more often including engaging communities in planning and delivery.
• Contributing to the communication and promotion of the Chief Medical Officers’ revised physical activity guidelines.
• Promote and support more active travel (walking and cycling), including setting measurable targets for this health enhancing behaviour.
• Tackling the barriers to participation in physical activity faced by some of the most inactive groups in society.
As well as the collective pledges set out, Leisure Connection has committed to a number of individual and bespoke pledges, which it hopes will support the collective pledges and the overall aim of the Deal. Its pledges include:
• To get a million more people enjoying exercise and leisure within a Leisure Connection venue.
• To establish effective working partnerships with community health and well-being organisations
• To communicate messages about the importance of health, fitness and well-being outside the four walls of the leisure centers and deliver these messages within the community.
• To increase the number of adults swimming in structured swimming sessions
• To reward and recognise members and users who use sport and physical activity to improve their health and well-being.
Richard Millman, Chief Executive of Leisure Connection said: “We are pleased to be supporting the Responsibility Deal. It’s encouraging to see the Department of Health working with businesses and organisations to tap into our expertise and knowledge base in a bid to tackle the issue of inactivity head on. We have buy-in from the entire company and we are looking forward to delivering our pledges and seeing more people enjoying the benefits of leading an active lifestyle.”
For more information please contact Becca, Joss or Rachel at MCG PR on 0113 268 5000 or email: rebecca.douglas@mcgpr.co.uk
Leisure Connection which operates your local leisure centre is a proud supporter of Change4Life. For more information please visit http://www.nhs.uk/change4life
