Bolton is on a mission to get fit and active.
Bolton Council and its partners have pledged to increase participation of sport and physical activity throughout the borough in a bid to improve everyone’s general health.
Under the brand ‘Believe in Yourself’, residents are encouraged to get involved via a new activity tracker so they can log how many miles they have walked, run or cycled and lengths they have swum.
They can do this anonymously or create a personal profile, with all entries adding to a running total for the entire borough.
The Bolton Vision for 2030 is to have an active, connected and prosperous population, with ‘getting active’ first on the list of achievements.
To coincide with our annual Sport on the Square event on Tuesday, July 25, members of the Bolton Vision Partnership got active themselves and walked, jogged and cycled to a ceremonious signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
The Memorandum of Understanding states how partners will work together to achieve a healthier and active borough.
Deputy Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Linda Thomas, said: “Partaking in regular physical activity reduces the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer. It can also help people with depression.
“We know that the first step to leading a healthier lifestyle can be the hardest, so we have launched the Activity Tracker to help people take the plunge. We are also pledging our support to work together with partners for the benefit of everyone’s health.”
Dr Wirin Bhatiani, local GP and Chair of NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “This is a great initiative to get us all moving more. It can be difficult to fit exercise into our daily, or weekly routine, and to find the motivation to keep it up. But whether it’s walking to the shops or a quick jog round the park – it all adds up to a healthier Bolton. I’ll be registering online and logging my activity - I encourage everyone to get involved.”
Dave Singleton, Chairman of the Bolton Vision Partnership, said: “I think it’s really important that for the future of Bolton, for the prosperity of Bolton and for a connected Bolton that people get active. But activity doesn’t just mean going for a run – it can be lots of different things. It’s getting involved in your community, getting out in your garden, or even getting involved in litter picking.”
The Activity Tracker also includes links to lots more information on how to best get active and increase physical activity.