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Get Active campaign helps South Derbyshire woman on way to healthier lifestyle

22 January 2008

Lesley Oakey (pictured) was one of hundreds of people who visited the ‘Get Active’ Bus during its tour of the county.

She signed up to the campaign, which linked locally to South Derbyshire's Get Active in The Forest project, and received  motivational text messages and e-mails to help her increase her physical activity levels and help her get motivated.

By doing so Lesley was also entered into a prize draw, and was selected to receive an annual gym pass at a local leisure centre of her choice.

She has chosen to go to Green Bank Leisure Centre in Swadlincote and the prize has been donated jointly by Greenbank Bank Leisure Centre (SLM Leisure) and South Derbyshire District Council.

Cllr John Lemmon, Chairman of South Derbyshire District Council’s Housing and Community Services Committee, said: “In our Annual Report we showed how we helped more people to get healthy in 2007-2008 by having more than 40 led walks at locations such as Calke Abbey, Hilton and Rosliston as part of the Get Active in The Forest project.

“We are very pleased that in South Derbyshire we are helping lots of people get more active. I am sure that this annual gym pass at Green Bank Leisure Centre will help Lesley Oakey to be even healthier.”

The ‘Get Active’ Bus was run by Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT) as part of a pilot project which also saw the launch of a micro-site on the NHS website (opens in a new window) to encourage people to manage their own health more effectively.

The bus stopped at venues across Derbyshire, and visitors were able to get advice from physical activity advisors from Derbyshire County PCT, Derbyshire Sport and local authority sport and leisure staff.

People were also able to sign up for an eight-week ‘30 a day’ exercise challenge, try out different physical activity programmes with the help of a virtual ‘cyber coach’, record their physical activity story in the bus diary room and create computer pictures of how they would look in the future if they don’t get more active.

Angela Carter, Active Lifestyles Officer at Derbyshire Sport, said: “The ‘Get Active’ Bus and the wider campaign aimed to get people more active, and has certainly worked for Lesley.

“There are lots of opportunities around the county, from walking or jogging to watersports and climbing as well as some excellent facilities at local leisure centres, and this campaign is all about showcasing what is already out there and showing people that there is something for everyone and living an active lifestyle is fun.”

The Get Active campaign was launched by James Cracknell OBE, double Olympic gold medallist for rowing, on Thursday 8 May at Derby’s Westfield centre. It is being delivered by Derby City Council’s b-Active team and Derbyshire Sport in conjunction with Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust and Derby City Primary Care Trust.

It is also closely linked to Derbyshire Sport’s new Active Derbyshire (opens in a new window) campaign which aims to get county residents more active by providing the motivation, information and ideas to get started.

Photo used courtesy of the Burton Mail.