A green space specialist has been appointed to promote healthier and more active lifestyles for people of all ages and abilities in Chester.
Alistair Cook is Health for Life project officer and will co-ordinate free activity programmes at the Countess of Chester Country Park, a green space in Chester managed and maintained by the Land Trust in conjunction with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV).
Health for Life seeks to provide regular and manageable sessions at the park, ranging from walking to light jogging circuits with advice and support on everything from preparing nutritious dishes to what type of running shoes are best to buy.
Alistair said: “People wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle often face barriers in achieving positive and lasting change. Some feel self-conscious about exercising, while others set unrealistic goals that they can’t maintain, so that longer term health benefits are lost.
“Health for Life’s motto is therefore Making it Stick. We will be providing people of all ages and capabilities with free, individual programmes in an informal and sociable group setting and we will be there to support them step by step along the way.”
The Health for Life role is a result of a partnership project between the Land Trust, TCV, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and The Mersey Forest.
The project is part-funded by Nature4Health – a three-year project funded by The Big Lottery’s ‘Reaching Communities’ programme that aims to redress health inequalities and is co-ordinated by The Mersey Forest.
The aim is to support 12 new people each week through their chosen 12-week beginners’ activity programme.
To find out more about activities taking place at the Countess of Chester Country Park as part of Health for Life, contact Alistair Cook on 07767 113136 or e-mail a.cook@tcv.org.uk
