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• Over 50s health initiative provides unanimous results

• Date:

  21st May 2008

• Contact:

  Sarah Egerton

• Organisation:

  The Civic Trust

In 2005, Lenton Recreation Ground in Nottingham became the pleasant backdrop for a group of over 50s keen to get fit – but only a year earlier this vital community resource was a muddy football pitch thriving on neglect.

In 2003 a crisis meeting was called by the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum - formed in 1997 to improve their local community - and Nottingham City Council’s Parks Development Officer Stefan Kruczkowski, to discuss what could be done to improve the recreation ground. Local residents and representatives from the University of Nottingham also attended and Lenton Recreation Consultation Group was formed – its initial remit to oversee the development plans for the park.

During 2005 Lenton Recreation Grounds underwent a major revamp.  A new footpath was created, flower beds installed, a new clubhouse was built and the jaded play area was transformed with new equipment.

As this site regained its popularity with the community, the parks department wanted to develop more health based activities on the park A Health and Wellbeing programme was subsequently developed as a result of partnership work between Steph Knowles, Health Development Officer and Stefan Kruczkowski, Parks Development Officer. Linnette Lovelock, Community Heart Nurse from the Primary Care Trust was invited to become involved with its design and delivery and a six week programme was put in place, with a follow up planned six weeks after its completion.

It was well attended with 20 people aged 50 and above taking part. Initial health checks were carried out and monitored in a qualitative survey and then each week people were weighed and their waist measurements were taken. The programme consisted of a talk on a specific subject such as healthy eating or physical activity and then some form of physical activity was carried out in a variety of forms including walking, salsa or chair aerobics. At the end of the programme, the participants received further health checks and the results were unanimous - all had reduced blood pressure, reduced waist measurements and reported an increased sense of well being. This was repeated at the follow up six weeks later and none of the improvements had been lost.

The following summer, Steph Knowles also implemented a walking group which met weekly for a health walk around Lenton which incorporated the park. A small but steady group was formed but unfortunately, this group did not continue due to the loss of the health development officer post.

Lenton Recreation Consultation Group continue to meet on a quarterly basis, working with the parks department to agree priorities for the management plan, assist with Green Flag Award judging events, raise concerns and issues and generally provide a sounding board for the park and its users.