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Bishopston Councillors Daniella Radice and Tim Malnick are encouraging local residents to become more active outdoors.
Outdoor play and activity benefits people of all ages by: improving health, building community, and improving the way we design our streets and neighbourhoods
They have invited a wide range of people such as cubs and brownie leaders, schools and parks groups, council officers, parents and care homes for the elderly to a special neighbourhood forum to explore possibilities.
Daniella says,
“Outdoor activity and play is a thread between so many important issues, such as community, health, inclusion, reclaiming public spaces and designing public spaces.”
Tim adds,
“We are also trying to develop the way our local Forums work – so they become more fun, productive and representative of the whole community. I think there is real potential there for them (eventually) to be like village events!”
The theme of the forum on December 11th is on developing more outdoor play opportunities in the community.
Anyone with an interest in developing more opportunities for outdoor play and activity in the area is warmly welcome to attend.
Further information:
The forum will include traditional elements such as information about the library consultation and police updates, and an interactive session for people to make connections and explore ideas and aspirations about play and outdoor activity, in the hope of developing a network to carry forward projects in the new year.
The Bishopston Forum:
11th December 7 pm – 9 pm, Brunel Field School, Arthur Milton St.
Useful facts:
1) Government data suggests that 28% of young people (2 – 16 year olds) in the UK are overweight or obese. Health problems associated with being overweight or obese cost the NHS more than £5 billion every year.
https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-obesity-and-improving-diet
2) The psychologist Richard Louv cites evidence that time spent outdoors in nature can reduce attention deficit disorder in children and increase levels of educational performance.
Louv, Richard. (2005) Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder (Paperback edition). Algonquin Books. 335pp.
3) Bristol City Council data suggests there are 25,000 more cars in the Bristol region than there were 10 years ago. The councillors claim that this gradually changes the way we think about town planning and street design – and that we need to make these things more people and community friendly.
4) Bishopston is already home to a number of exciting projects that support outdoor play including: Playing Out, the APE project, Golden Hill community gardens and a number of active scouts and brownie groups. Bishopston also has the largest primary school in Bristol – Bishop Road and 3 other primary schools. The Forum aims to connect up some of these stakeholders with local people to see what new opportunities can be created.
5) Horfield Common has nearly completed a project launching running circuits with signposting to encourage local people to take up walking / running.