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Active Living

Active Living is defined as any form of physical activity, which is performed as part of everyday life. 

The Green Gym is delivered by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). The scheme aims to improve health and the environment at the same time by offering the opportunity to 'work out' in the open air through local, practical environmental or gardening work and led by experienced leaders. For more information click on the TVC website.   

Sustrans is the UK's leading sustainable transport charity, it co-ordinates the National Cycle Network, which offers over 10,000 miles of walking and cycle routes on traffic-free paths, quiet lanes and traffic-calmed roads. There is now 75% of the UK population living within two miles of a route. The Network connects towns and villages, countryside and coast throughout the UK. Sustrans undertakes the planning, management and building of many of the paths, considering the building of bridges and ensuring wildlife is not disturbed.
For more information visit the Sustrans website.

DIY Streets
DIY Streets helps residents to re-design their own streets affordably, putting people at their heart, and making them safer and more attractive places to live. The project works with local communities to help residents develop low-cost capital solutions to making their streets safer and more attractive, aiming to find simple interventions and materials which can be both effective and durable. Download the Project Review.

Sustrans have developed an information sheet around active travel and women’s health. This information sheet has been produced by Active Travel Cymru. It reviews evidence regarding the health benefits of physical activity, especially walking and cycling for women. Download the information sheet.  

Green Space Toolkit for Urban Planning
The Countryside Council for Wales which is now part of Natural Resources Wales produced an innovative Green Space Toolkit to help local authorities plan and improve natural green areas for people in towns and cities.

The toolkit focuses on ensuring that people have places to enjoy nature close to their homes, providing opportunities for exercise, improving physical and mental health. “For each 10% increase in greenspace, there can be a reduction in health complaints equivalent to a reduction of five years in age” commented Peter Frost CCW’s Senior Urban and Partnerships Officer.

The Green Space Toolkit recommends that: 

• Two hectares of greenspace is needed per 1,000 population; 
• No person should live more than 400 metres walking distance from their nearest area of natural greenspace.

Local authorities across the country were consulted on the development of the ‘toolkit’ and the majority of them are now using it. Joanne Gossage of Newport Council has noticed that the toolkit has brought wider benefits with it: “The toolkit has proved to be an extremely useful tool in promoting cross departmental cooperation, influencing many different policies and procedures that will continue to benefit the local community and authority alike”.