Date: 1 June 2022 Author: Energise Me
Emma, Programme Manager - Children and Young People, shares the story of a recent project she assisted in and explores her favourite parts of the role.
Towards the end of 2021, I was approached by colleagues who had worked with Park Community School in Leigh Park. The school has excellent resources, including a fitness suite. This particular facility was opened up to pupils who weren’t engaging in PE.
The fitness suite was also opened up to some local women. These women were experiencing issues with their physical and mental health and had been shielding for a very long time. Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network was supporting them through their social prescribers.
Through our Investing in Communities programme, funded by Sport England and the National Lottery’s Together Fund, I was able to support Park Community School. I helped them to access funding to continue these ladies’ fitness sessions. Then in April, I went along to meet some of these women and cheer them on. Because these Havant locals had set themselves a challenge: to take on the Race At Our Place.
Park Community School shares their story about how they helped local women get active after COVID-19.
One of the brilliant things about my job is being able to visit the sessions that we have supported. Usually, the funding isn’t the most important part of a project – it’s the people and partnerships that make it happen. It’s so inspiring to meet these people in person and see the positives we’ve helped to make! Seeing Caz, alongside the other women cross the finish line, and hearing Susan from the school talk about the journey that these women have been on, it really reminds me of why we do what we do. And how, with the right support, we can all find a bit of joy in being active.
If you’ve got a project idea to help people who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic be more active, get in touch with Emma.
Helping us tackle inactivity to boost health and happiness
