Energize Residential using Facebook
 
The Oldham Community Leisure's Energize project held a residential weekend at the Boarshurst Centre, Greenfield.
 
Energize targets 16-24yr olds living in the Oldham Borough who want to make positive lifestyle changes.
 
This is known to be a particular hard to reach group and innovative methods of engagement are required, knowing how popular the Facebook social network site has become young Energize volunteers assisted in setting up the Energize group page.
 
The Energize Facebook page invited young people who are wanting to improve their health especially around quit smoking, sexual health advice & increased physical activity levels to sign up to residential weekend of exiting outdoor activities in the Chew Valley area of the Peak District National Park that lies on the doorstep of Oldham.
 
The 32 places on offer where booked up almost immediately.
 
As well exciting outdoor activities including: mountain biking, rock climbing, hill walking, orienteering and team building games the group participated in work shops delivered by Oldham Community Health Service's Specialist Quit Smoking and Sexual Health Teams, these workshops were delivered in a fun and relaxed atmosphere at the centre. Additionally one of the physical activity instructors was also available to offer lifestyle advice in her capacity as Health Trainer which several young people benefited from.
 
Alan Keane Energize Co-ordinator said "This project was experimental. Love it or hate it you can't ignore how popular Facebook the social network site has become and it has proved a powerful tool in this instance engaging what is a hard to reach group. Within our services we know what people need which we are trying to deliver it in a way that young people will want"
 
For more information contact:
 Alan Keane Tel: 07808 770 341

Date/Time

Venue

Route

Sunday 9th Aug 2009

Meet at Alexandra Park Cafe,
Kings Road
Oldham
OL8 2BH

Oldham Circuit:
Meadlock Circle - Strinesdale - Grotton - Tandlehill Park
Technical Off road Mountain Biking Involved - Guidance & tuition provided.

Sunday 23thAug 2009

Meet at Alexandra Park Cafe,
Kings Road
Oldham
OL8 2BH

Dovestones Scenic:
Grotton - Uppermill - Greenfield - Boarshurst Lane - Long Lane - Dovestones
Technical Off road Mountain Biking Involved - Guidance & tuition provided.

Sunday 13th Sept 2009

Meet at Alexandra Park Cafe,
Kings Road
Oldham
OL8 2BH

Coed Llandegla Forest:
One of the largest privately-owned cycling & trail facilities in North Wales.
Technical Off road Mountain Biking Involved - Guidance & tuition provided.

Mobile Climbing Wall

Oldham Community Leisure Limited has purchased a mobile climbing wall. Expect to see the climbing wall in and around Oldham this year. The wall will be staffed by Oldham Climbing Club members and the Royton Cadets. For more information about the wall use the contact us facility on the left hand side menu.

If you fancy doing something a bit different this winter, why not give skiing or snowboarding a go? As well as being great fun, it will keep you in shape, developing strength, reaction timing, co-ordination and flexibility and giving you an aerobic workout.
 
Chill Factore - Manchester's own Alpine village - is a great place to get to grips with snowsports – whether trying out a taster lesson on the nursery slope, tackling the UK's longest real snow indoor slope or taking your riding to the next level at a dedicated freestyle night.
 
Away from the slope there's hours of fun for everyone, sweeping along in tubes or on the ice luge run, taking on the 12 metre high climbing wall or watching the kids explore the snowplay area.
 
And if the lure of the outdoors proves too much, where better to pick up some new gear than the top active lifestyle brand stores in Chill Factore's Alpine village? With shops including Adrenaline Junkie, Subvert, Dare2b, Quiksilver, Snow+Rock and Evans Cycles, Chill Factore is a great place to sort out your Christmas shopping – and treat yourself!
 
Relax and enjoy a fabulous festive meal or drink in one of the many bars and restaurants at Chill Factore – including Nando's, Chiquito, Mont Blanc, Chilli's or Wetherspoon's Castle in the Air. Christmas parties and private functions can also be held in the Eiger restaurant.
 
Visit www.chillfactore.com or call 0161 749 2222 for more information.

WALKING WORKS - IT'S A FACT

Workers in Oldham are putting their best foot forward thanks to an innovative lunchtime walking scheme. The walking works' scheme, which has been developed by the health improvement service from Oldham Community Health Services (OCHS part of Oldham Primary Care Trust), Oldham Council and Oldham Community Leisure, involved designing a series of walks that go in a circuit around the town centre, which were then put together in a comprehensive pocket-sized' map.
 
The map not only features a series of detailed, colour-coded routes, but also the approximate number of calories burnt and the number of steps taken on each. The latter is designed to help people to know how they are doing in relation to the Department of Health's recommendation of 10,000 steps per day.
 
The walks, which take in all Oldham Primary Care Trust and Oldham Council buildings, range in length from 10 minutes to an hour and are designed to fit into anyone's lunch break however long or short.
 
Alan Keane, Oldham outdoor pursuits co-ordinator, said: "We are aiming to promote physical activity and to show that small steps can make a big difference!
 
"These maps are a handy little guide to store in your bag or wallet. We have varied them in length to allow as many people as possible take part - depending on the amount of time they have and their fitness level. We realise that people who work full time often have very little spare time to take part in activities after work, especially if they have a family, so we have designed these walks to fit into a lunch break."
 
Alison Broadbent, human resources advisor - workforce modernisation, from Oldham Council, said: "We wanted to encourage our employees to walk more. Teaming up with our partners at the PCT means that we've been able to provide staff with the means to do this and help them on their way to the government's recommendation of 10,000 steps a day."
 
The benefits of regular exercise are proven. Walking in particular can:
Make you feel good
Give you more energy
Reduce stress and help you feel better
Keep your heart strong and help reduce blood pressure
Help to manage your weight
There is scientific evidence that small changes can lengthen your life span.
 
The scheme has been developed following feedback from the health walks organised by Oldham Primary Care Trust in celebration of the NHS's 60th birthday in July. Several people said that they would walk more often if they knew a route that was safe. It also follows Oldham Council's participation in the Global Corporate Challenge earlier this year, where staff had to complete a marathon walk around the world virtually! Eight teams from the Council took part in the 125-day challenge and were issued with pedometers, which recorded the number of steps taken. The aim was to travel the distance equivalent to a tour around the planet

To celebrate the launch of the walking works' map, a group walk has been organised with staff from Oldham PCT, OCHS and the council. Members of the public are invited to join in and discover for themselves how the map can help them to become more active.
 
TO DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION OF THE MAP CLICK HERE
 
More Information
 
For more information contact Helen Taylor, Communications Assistant, on 0161 622 6625
or email helen.taylor9@nhs.net
 
Photocall
 
Event: To celebrate the launch of the ‘walking works' map a group walk, with staff from Oldham Primary Care Trust and OCHS, Oldham Council and Oldham Community Leisure, has been organised. Members of the public are invited to come along to discover for themselves how the map can help them to become more active. There will be an opportunity to photograph the group using the map.
Date: Wednesday October 29
Time: 12.30pm
Venue: The One Stop Shop at the Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham.

The Activate project is aimed at providing FREE cycle sessions for people in the Oldham area as well as encouraging people to attend our health walks. There are several health walks taking place throughout Oldham and we are in the process of setting up more. If you are interested in attending any of the health walks then just turn up, the walks are listed on the Health Walk page. If you are interested in attending a future cycle ride then you can ring Sarah Southern on 0161 621 7124 or send an email to sarah.southern@nhs.net

The Activate project was launched on the 28th May in Alexandra Park. Children from St Thomas's school took part in various events in the park including canoeing, cycling, orienteering and cricket.

The Activate project will map current provision for cycling and walking within the targeted wards and then across the borough. It will also build on the existing and walking and cycling activity, helping to establish new groups and run taster session.
The project will support people with predominately sedentary lifestyles by working closely with Oldham Community Leisure's home based exercise scheme, providing support for the current Walking to Health initiative and developing further Health Walks. This will link into people accessing open space through arranging walks within parks and using Oldham's cycling trails.
The project will develop professional schemes for both walking and cycling, which will enable participants to advance through their chosen activity. This will be achieved by working with cycling and walking clubs operating in the area.
The grant will pay for a part-time development officer, hosted by Oldham Primary Care Trust but supported through Oldham Outdoor Pursuits. The development worker will map current provision, recruit and train volunteers to become cycle and walk leaders and then support and develop walk/cycle groups.
The Development worker will develop and set up taster sessions, community walks, learn to cycle sessions, and cycle and walking.

Feedback from residential participants

Monitoring information of people attending residential

The latest Oldham Outdoor Pursuits Residential took place from 28th July-1st August which was fully funded by the Energize project (OCLL).
The week was attended by 14 members of Oldham Outdoor Pursuits.
 
It turned out to be an eventful week involving:
· A walk to the summit of mount Snowden (1085 metres) in less than ideal conditions.
· A scramble up mount Tryfan to Adam and Eve.
· Rock climbing on Little Tryfan.

Instructors from Oldham Outdoor Pursuits were joined by families and individuals from the community of Oldham and together helped organise the trip, which included sharing transport, shopping for provisions, meal preparation and general housekeeping.

Tara (OOP member) said:
So glad I made a last minute decision to take time off and go to Wales. The first day's scramble up Tryfan to Adam and Eve was brilliant (and I've still got the bruises to prove it!) I'd never have done it on my own -it just wouldn't have been safe - that was what was so great for me about being with a group like this. I'd also never have been able to afford the trip - sharing the transport costs and having the guides and instructors laid on made it possible. The highlight for me was my first outdoor climb. It was great to feel in such safe hands. And it was loads of fun spending time with other people . Big, big thanks to Alan, Gaynor, Sam, Daz and to all the other lovely friends I made - when can we do it again?
PS - come to the Climbing Wall -it's a great way to make friends and keep fit!

Ruth (OOP member) said:
I had such a great time-bit tired now, though! It was so good to be able to see my kids experience new things-walking up Snowdon in the pouring rain and low cloud and seeing them so excited at experiencing something new. They loved the outdoor climbing after practising so hard on the climbing wall and are determined to keep it up. We now do so much more exercise as a family and are determined to get fit and stay fit! As a single parent of 6 I never thought I'd be able to give my children those opportunities and it was really good to be able to do it with them as well.
Many thanks Alan and Gaynor and Darren and Sam-we couldn't have done it without you! Special thanks to Sam for his encouragement when I was struggling to get to the top of Snowdon!
I've also made friends with some really nice people-its good to have some adult company when you're on your own with children.
I'm sure the world could live without midges so hurry up with a way to rid us of them, Dr.Sam.

Alan Keane Energize project coordinator (OCLL) said:
Part of my role is to develop the Oldham Outdoor Pursuits and although the residential week was fully funded by the Energize project everyone pulled together to make this a great success.
It is great to see people who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in these activities having such a great time.
It was good to show that working as a club we can make these activities affordable and accessible to everyone.
Thank you to everyone who made this event a success, we are looking forward to our next trip.