June 2020 news

Welcome to the monthly edition of we can move news. We hope this helps and inspires all of us in Gloucestershire to move more.

This month:

• What do cyclists, carers, diabetics and volunteers have in common?
• What is the 'we can move' social movement?
• Adapting activities so that everyone can take part
• Make home working work for you
• Making a difference to clubs' players wellbeing
• Travel to Tokyo without leaving home

What do cyclists, carers, diabetics and volunteers have in common?

June is a month full of awareness weeks. Whether they are to tackle the stigma surrounding diabetes, to promote cycling, celebrate volunteers or highlight carers work and the challenges they face, we recognise the impact these have on physical activity.

We can move is only possible through the work of those who, whether through their jobs or as volunteers, come together to make it possible for others to be physically active. We would like to hear from you on support you may need or if you would like to share your story.

What is the 'we can move' social movement?

You may have heard the phrase social movement. We can move is a social movement; a community of people and organisations in Gloucestershire who want to make being active a normal part of everyday life.

We can move aims to:

• get more people enjoying an active life
• build a world in which is it normal and easy to be active.

Active Gloucestershire, a charity with a vision that everyone in Gloucestershire is active every day, is the organisation that coordinates we can move. You can read more on how it was developed here.

We work with organisations, community projects and individuals across Gloucestershire to make physical activity possible for everyone.

Would you, your community group or organisation like to be involved?

Adapting activities so that everyone can take part

We can all do our bit to break down the barriers to making physical activity accessible for everyone.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, disabled people and those with long-term limiting health conditions are far more likely to feel isolated, fearful of the current situation and be significantly less physically active than before.

We want to inform, inspire and motivate people to change this.

The Activity Alliance recently released a STEP guide on how to adapt to create inclusive activities.

With the rise in virtual physical activity and as we move on to the ‘new normal’ after lockdown, this guide provides support in making sure we can include as many people as possible as we develop physical activity programmes.

Make home working work for you

As we come out of lockdown slowly, it seems like home working may become the new normal.

Working from home can have an impact on our physical activity levels. Some of us may have found ourselves more able to move more but for many, it can be easy to become more sedentary without having the daily commute or moving from one meeting space to another.

We produced a resource at the beginning of lockdown on how to make the best of working from home and it's as relevant now as it was then.

It also has a downloadable resource you can share with your team(s).

Making a difference to clubs' players wellbeing

We have heard from community sports and activity clubs about the amazing job they have been doing in adapting to the current situation.

We all have a need to stay connected and this is equally important for clubs as training and games are suspended.

They used the varied skills within the team such as a series of online yoga classes led by one of their players to add variety and to keep the team engaged. They also made sure that the activities don't need any special equipment so that all players, whatever their home set-up, can take part. They found that team morale remained high with the regular interactions.

“All the hard work everyone is putting in now will put us in a good position when rugby restarts.”

Read more from Hartpury here.

We understand that not all clubs have access to the expertise that Hartpury has and there are many challenges that clubs have struggled with, such as funding and keeping their facilities open.

However, building the team using what is available can help with breaking the isolation that some may feel.

Your club or community activity may benefit from our tips and guidance during the coronavirus outbreak. This resource gives guidance on funding, what you can do keep your team engaged and more.

Travel to Tokyo without leaving home

The Olympics may not be happening this summer; however, families can still get active and stay connected with the Travel to Tokyo campaign.

This campaign offers resources for schools and families to try new things and to log their activities to win weekly prizes.

With young people not meeting the recommended guidelines on physical activity, this can help families develop a more active lifestyle.

Active Gloucestershire is the coordinating body of we can move. Active Gloucestershire is a charity whose vision is that everyone in Gloucestershire is active everyday.