Community Spaces & Healthy Active Travel

Background

Declining levels of physical activity, increasing levels of obesity and diabetes, widespread air pollution, social isolation, and worsening health inequalities are all pressing public health issues. Climate change is a severe threat which is already being felt in the UK and across the world. Changing patterns in the way we travel and how we design our environments for travel have played a significant role in these issues. Bold action is required if we are to reverse these trends in population and global health, and create a healthier more sustainable future for our residents.

Creating Change

The Healthy Weights Team will prioritise resources to lead and enable system change to influence the design and use of our community spaces, but we cannot do it alone. Over the past 18 months we have developed a growing network of stakeholders who hold the power to truly create positive change to our system. We will continue to work closely with our communities to better understand their needs and support meaningful improvements.

Our Focus

We are working with system partners and listening to community voices to lead and enable system change to influence the design and use of community spaces in Cwm Taf Morgannwg. Our areas of focus are:

Launching the healthy travel charter for public service organisations across Cwm Taf Morgannwg
Encouraging uptake of charter actions
Creating a network of healthy travel champions
Work closely with active travel leads and support changes to infrastructure (based on needs identified via appreciative enquiry and stakeholder engagement)
Exploring opportunities for healthy travel charter for private sector.
Linking with Public Health Wales on active school travel pilot, sharing outcomes with education.
Exploring opportunities to work on making our communities feel safer – build relationships with appropriate stakeholders
Continue to support the implementation of physical activity and sport across Cwm Taf Morgannwg.