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Natural Benefits Please click here 4mb

Recreation & Health

Natural England has a responsibility to promote access, recreation and public well-being for the benefit of today’s and future generations. The natural environment provides people with a range of benefits. Health and well-being are two of the most important. Increasing levels of physical activity is a national priority for improving people’s health and the natural environment provides many opportunities. In the East of England we have produced a booklet called “Natural Benefits” to help stimulate ideas about how to build health benefits into countryside projects.

Walking The Way To Health

The Walking the Way to Health Initiative (WHI) aims to improve the health and fitness of over 1 million people in England. The initiative began in October 2000 and runs for five years. It is particularly aimed at those who do little exercise or who live in areas of poor health.

The statistics show that at least seven in ten people do not take enough exercise to benefit their health. Walking is almost a perfect exercise, and the initiative encourages people to walk near to where they live. 

Fourteen WHI schemes are being supported in the East of England region. Why not visit the website and use the walk finder to locate a health walk you can join in your area.

Local Exercise Action Pilot - Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth Primary Care Trust (PCT) is one of nine regional pilot schemes in England aimed at increasing physical activity within their local communities with the purpose of providing new and innovative ideas to increase participation.

The Great Yarmouth project is linked with Natural England's  successful 'Walking the way to Health Initiative' and focuses with implementation of three innovative programmes for local people to learn more about health, fitness and become more active.

The three programmes are; surgery based weight management clinics for overweight and obese patients; outreach interventions like mobile gyms and cardiac rehabilitation for people who live in rural areas, and an urban fringe based walking for health programme.

To find out more telephone, Paul Brice, LEAP Co-ordinator, at Great Yarmouth Primary Care Trust on 01493 859204.