Rochdale Football Club backs council health initiative...
One lucky resident can win a three-month gym pass, £25 salon voucher and more healthy goodies, just by getting more active.
A social media competition run by the council and its partners asks adults to share videos and photographs of themselves taking part in any physical activity; whether that’s dancing, walking the dog or gardening.
The more creative the better!
Rochdale Borough Council launched the #GetRochMoving competition in partnership with Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Link4Life, Living Well and the Public Health England campaign One You, in a bid to improve health and wellbeing across the borough.
The competition will run for six weeks from Monday 11 July until Sunday 14 August. Entries will be shared on the council’s social media channels and used to create an inspirational video.
It is estimated that a third of adults in the borough are overweight and only half take physical activity for the recommended 150 minutes per week.
Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, health and wellbeing, said: “Physical activity is really important for your physical health and your mental wellbeing but as a borough we are not doing enough! Whether you are 18 or 80, going to the gym or cleaning your house it all helps, so enter our competition by sending us your videos and photographs. It’s great fun and you can help the borough be a happier and healthier place to live.”
Dr Chris Duffy, a local GP and chair of the CCG, said “Any small changes that people can make to exercise more makes such a big difference and is a great step towards staying healthier for longer. We are encouraging all of the residents of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale to join in this fantastic campaign and get Rochdale moving!”
Shirley Waller, health interventions manager at Link4Life, said: “This will help with our vision of creating communities that are active, creative and healthy. We already have involvement in some large scale borough-wide physical activity health improvement projects. It is vital we tackle inactivity and provide the platforms for the local community to become active and get moving.”
Living Well assistant director Simon Kweeday said: “All over the borough, there are Living Well activities that help get you moving. It’s never too late to start and we will always give a helping hand to get you going. So give it a go – it could change your life forever.”
All entries will be judged by a panel of representatives from the partner organisations, and the best will receive the three-month gym pass donated by Link 4 Life, a £25 voucher donated by The Hairdressing Room and Beauty Lounge in Rochdale and a variety of other exercise related goodies.
To enter residents must share a short video or photographs of themselves taking part in physical activity, using #GetRochMoving, on www.facebook.com/rochdalecouncil or tweet @rochdalecouncil. All entries must be received by Sunday 14 August.
The competition is being run in partnership with One You a campaign which aims to encourage adults to make small changes to their lifestyles such as eating heathier food, drinking less alcohol, quitting smoking or being more active. Making these small changes in middle age can double the chances of being healthy at 70 and beyond.
Rochdale residents are encouraged to take the free ‘How are You’ quiz available at www.rochdale.gov.uk/oneyou which will help them take action where it is needed the most.