BackSandwell and Wolverhampton get the walking treatment
Local residents and businesses will be rolling up their sleeves and getting passionate about their local area, at a Community Street Audit to help find ways to make Sandwell and Wolverhampton Fitter for Walking.
National charity Living Streets launched the Fitter for Walking project in 3 areas of the West Midlands last year to help residents create streets they can be proud of, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund and in partnership with local councils and Primary Care Trusts.
On Friday 25th September, local residents, businesses and schools will team up with Fitter for Walking Coordinator Hema Kasi-Patel at a Community Street Audit in Bilston to assess the local environment and investigate how local walking routes could be improved for the benefit of everyone. The audit will follow the Weddell Wynd path which connects the community to local facilities such as the sports centre and the supermarket and several local schools. The path is an important link for many people in the community and the audit will enable people to speak up about their area and to suggest ways in which it could be made better for those who use it. Staff from Tipton Sports Academy and Asda will also attend, with the sports centre staff doubling the audit up with walk leader training so that they can expand their current walking sessions to include walking in the local community.
Meet at: Weddell Wynd path at Moxley Lock, Great Bridge Road, Lower Bradley, Bilston, Friday 25th September, 09:00
Fitter for Walking is part of a group of projects that will be helping 2 million people nationwide become more physically active, by regularly walking or cycling as part of their daily lives. It is funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Wellbeing Programme. Wolverhampton City Council and Primary Care Trust and Sandwell Council and Sandwell PCT are official partners in the Fitter for Walking project – a fantastic move that shows they are eager to work together with Living Streets and residents to improve their streets and encourage people to get walking locally. This partnership approach is vital in making sure that the project can make a real difference over the four year duration.
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets, said:
“This is a very exciting meeting for us, and we are really pleased too that two of our partners are joining forces with us to look at the issues in the area. We want to make a real, lasting difference to areas around here by finding out from local people themselves how they want their neighbourhood to change, and then helping them do it.
“When more people in an area are walking regularly, it doesn’t just help them get healthy; it means roads are less congested, we are all breathing in less pollution, and neighbours see each other on the streets and feel more of a community. We can’t wait to get started!”
Residents are welcome to join the Community Street Audit on 25th September. For more information please contact Hema Kasi-Patel on 07595 781875, or email hema.kasi-patel@livingstreets.org.uk
ENDS
If you would like to find out more information, to send a photographer to the meeting or to interview Hema Kasi-Patel about her work in the area, please contact Anna Powell, Press Officer at anna.powell@livingstreets.org.uk , tel: 020 7377 4914.
Notes to editors
Living Streets’ Fitter for Walking project is part of a portfolio of projects being delivered by a Consortium of the leading walking cycling and health organisations and funded through the Big Lottery Fund's Wellbeing Programme. The Programme provides funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve well-being.
The Consortium is led by Sustrans and includes British Cycling, CTC, Cycling England, Living Streets, London Cycling Campaign, the National Heart Forum, the National Obesity Forum, the Ramblers’ Association, Campaign for Better Transport and Walk 21. It is delivering a portfolio of projects that will enable two million people nationwide to become more physically active by walking or cycling as part of their daily lives by 2012.
The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004.
Living Streets, celebrating its 80th birthday this year, is the national charity that stands up for pedestrians. With our supporters we campaign to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, where people want to walk.
We have been the national voice for pedestrians throughout our 80 year history. In the early years, our campaigning led to the introduction of the driving test, pedestrian crossings and 30mph speed limits. Since then our ambition has grown. Today we influence decision makers nationally and locally, run successful projects to encourage people to walk, and provide specialist consultancy services to help reduce congestion and carbon emissions, improve public health, and make sure every community can enjoy vibrant streets and public spaces.
Published on: 21/09/2009
