A NEW scheme launched in South Birmingham to encourage people to improve their lifestyles by eating healthier foods and doing more exercise is already proving beneficial.
The ‘Move More, Eat Well’ project was started at St John the Baptist Church in Longbridge back in January and since then it has gone from strength-to-strength.
The scheme is about supporting people to live healthier and balanced lifestyles, promoting physical activity, healthy eating, sustainable travel and organic food growing.
Since the launch, a host of activities have already been held, including cycling sessions for all ages and the introduction of a family garden between Longbridge and Northfield.
The family garden is aimed at teaching people about gardening, soil and growing their own produce.
There are weekly sessions currently running every Wednesday between 10am and 11am where, as well as educating the adults, there are lots of hands-on gardening activities for pre-school children.
A lot of community centres have contacted the Move More Eat Well team to find out about the scheme and there are more cycle rides planned. One will include taking a group to Balaams Wood to find out more about the cycle paths of South Birmingham.
Anne Dasgupta, the Family Learning Coordinator at Northfield’s EcoCentre, said the whole scheme, with the cycling and the family garden, was going well.
“With regard to the cycling, it’s about getting people to be more confident and hopefully they will maybe even change their transport habits.”
Another project being undertaken as part of Move More, Eat Well is ‘Run a Mile’ which will see representatives from Sport Birmingham go into 40 schools in a bid to get families to start running a mile-a-day over a period of time.
The project will be analysed to see the impact it is having on participants’ health and to see if it contributes to improved levels of concentration in the classroom.
Sport Birmingham is currently in the process of enlisting volunteers to help carry out its positive fitness work and is also running workshops on issues, such as safeguarding and health and safety.
Email [email protected] or visit www.movemoreeatwell.com for more information on the scheme, cycling sessions or the family garden.
