The Christchurch & East Dorset Partnership has published a guide which aims to get more people in the area to try new sporting activities and get fitter.
The Activate Coast & Countryside project was set up as the result of a £221,000 grant from Sport England. The projectencourages people to take part in regular informal sport through a range of taster and beginner opportunities across Christchurch and East Dorset.
The 24-page guide is packed full of sporting activities – everything from canoeing to cycling, orienteering to golf and fishing to Nordic walking. The sports are offered at a range of venues including Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre, Highcliffe Castle, Highcliffe beach and Mudeford Quay in Christchurch and Moors Valley Country Park, Kingston Lacy and various other locations in East Dorset.
The project aims to deliver more than 1,000 sessions in the first year of this three-year project. Some of these are taster sessions which allow people to try out new activities to see if they are suitable for them while others are beginners’ courses to show people the basics of the sport to help build their confidence. In most cases all of the equipment is provided so people don’t have to pay for expensive equipment and then find out that the sport is not for them.
Some of the courses are aimed at individuals while other activities would suit families wanting to exercise together. People don’t need to have a high level of fitness as these activities are aimed at beginner’s level. Not only that but there are also a number of wellness walks, health walks and referral opportunities which are aimed at people starting to get back into exercise after injury, illness or inactivity.
The free guide is available from Moors Valley Country Park, Highcliffe Castle, Kingston Lacy and leisure centres, libraries and information centres in Christchurch and East Dorset.
For more information about the Activate Coast & Countryside project, call Moors Valley on 01425 470721, email [email protected], visit www.moors-valley.co.uk, follow the scheme on Twitter @activate_ced or find it on Facebook.
