COMMUNITY APPROACH TO REJUVENATING A GREEN SPACE

With support from You’ve Got This and local partners, Lyndsey Coe, Senior Development Manager for Thirteen Group and the local authority is providing opportunities for people in North Ormesby to get active.

Getting local people active to support wellbeing

The North Ormesby area of Middlesbrough suffers from high levels of deprivation and diabetes that contribute to low life expectancy. Being involved with the You’ve Got This movement has helped Lyndsey and her team look at, and introduce, ways to get people active, supporting her mission to influence change and improve wellbeing in the wider community.    

“Being active makes you more upbeat and energetic. You’re more likely to want to get involved in other things and feel more positive about life.” 

Developing green space for the community

Working in collaboration with You’ve Got This, North Ormesby Health and Wellbeing group and other partners based at North Ormesby hub, a key project for Lyndsey has been the rejuvenation of the Henry Street recreation ground, one of the few green spaces in the community.

“We felt it was really important to get this piece of green space to a point where the community could enjoy it and use it as a place to be active and spend some time together with family or friends.”

Phase one of the project has seen an overhaul of the existing play area, as well as the installation of a zip wire, goalposts, a fenced-in family area and planters that will be used for family planting programmes. 

The next phase will be focussed on activity, with the installation of fitness equipment and the creation of structured fitness programmes, developed alongside Groundwork North East and Public Health England to help local people use the equipment confidently.    

With help from You’ve Got This to identify funding, there are also plans to support people in training and upskilling to gain the necessary qualifications for delivering active sessions at Henry Street rec. 

“Getting to where we’re at now has been a hard slog, but it’s all been community focussed and that’s meant we’ve had some positive conversations about how the site will look. Hopefully, input from the community will help locals take ownership of how they and others use the rec.”

Keeping swimmers moving and motivated during lockdown

You’ve Got This has also been important in supporting Lyndsey in how and where to access funding for her role as Fundraising Officer at Middlesbrough Amateur Swimming Club (MASC). 

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Lyndsey created a seven-day checkpoint fundraising challenge in which MASC members covered the distance from Middlesbrough to the London Aquatic Centre by reaching set milestones through running, cycling, walking or even skipping. 

Money raised through crowdfunding helped MASC host virtual training sessions on nutrition, mindfulness and more to keep swimmers motivated whilst they’re away from the pool. 

Changing attitudes, changing lives   

By supporting the You’ve Got This movement, Lyndsey hopes to help change people’s attitudes on being active and help them understand the wide-ranging benefits. 

“I hope through You’ve Got This we’re able to show that being active doesn’t have to mean doing a sport or going to the gym. Things like gardening or walking are activities too. And they can influence people’s lives in many ways, from feeling more energetic to eating better to meeting people and overcoming social isolation.”

Personal growth

Working with You’ve Got This has helped Lyndsey focus more on her well-being, and she is now more active in her everyday life. 

“Supporting You’ve Got This has brought the importance of me being active in my personal life to the forefront. I now do more to keep myself moving and energised.”