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Wigan and Leigh were united in the race to get fit on Wednesday, as
council, sport and health chiefs launched their plan to get the borough
into SHAPE over the next five years.
Sports stars, horse riders, canoeists, cyclists, runners with
disabilities and school children all joined in a unique relay from
Pennington Flash to Haigh Hall to launch the SHAPE (Sport, Health and
Physical Education) campaign.
A special SHAPE torch was carried by various bearers along the nine mile
route including:
• The Mayor of Wigan Cllr. John O’Brien;
• Leigh Centurions legend Tommy Sale;
• Leigh Centurions coaching team Paul Rowley and Darren Shaw;
• Leigh Harriers and Great Britain marathon specialist Peter Riley;
• Wigan Harriers and Great Britain 800m runner Jenny Meadows;
• former Great Britain and Wigan captain Phil Clarke;
• and current Wigan Warriors skipper Sean O’Loughlin.
Jenny Meadows said: “What a day! It was great to be involved and it was
really inspiring to see so many different groups taking part. I hope the
SHAPE campaign will help to inspire more people to lead healthier
lifestyles and see physical exercise as an everyday part of their life.”
Peter Riley said: “We have some great sports facilities in the borough
but today proved you only need to get out in the great outdoors to
improve your health. I was really excited to have been involved today – it
was a rewarding challenge and great to see everyone united by one cause.
The important thing is that we build on this and all pledge to improve
our physical fitness in anyway we can.”
The torch bearers had a huge supporting cast:
• thirty children from Gilded Hollins Primary School, Lowton;
• Westleigh Basketball Club;
• Leigh Miners Rangers Head Coach Winston Sarsfield;
• Lowton, Crankwood and Abram Bridleways group;
• Cycling Projects;
• Wigan Borough’s Over 50s Forum;
• Mayfield Day Centre;
• John Willets – visually impaired runner from Tiernan Lodge hostel;
• Wigan Council’s Outdoor Education team;
• and staff from Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.
SHAPE is the brainchild of a group of organisations working in
partnership to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for
residents of the borough.
The key partners in the project are Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust and Wigan
Borough Sports Council. The challenge is to get the number of people
taking part in regular physical activity in the borough increased by
3,000 per year for the next five years.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust’s Sport and Health Manager Nick Colledge
explained: “We are delighted with the enthusiasm shown for SHAPE today.
If we can duplicate the energy shown here over the next five years every
borough resident will be fit and healthy! SHAPE aims to involve
everyone, including those people who are not doing exercise at the
moment, so they can experience the personal enjoyment and other benefits
of being active. We will see lots of positive changes over the next five
years.”
The special SHAPE relay was followed by the campaign’s first ever
conference at Haigh Hall attended by sports clubs and health
professionals from across Wigan Borough to encourage them all to learn
more and get involved in the campaign. Presentations were made by Chief
Executive of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Rodney Hill, Chairman of
Wigan Borough Sports Council Trevor Barton and special guest speaker
Phil Clarke.
Phil Clarke said: “I want Wigan to become the fittest borough in the
country. We have the right attitude and determination to improve our
health and fitness at all levels. Each and every person living in the
borough can make a difference; positive behaviour is contagious.”
Thanks to SHAPE, Sport England will be investing £350,000 to support
projects to get more people involved across Wigan Borough.
Chair of the SHAPE board Cllr Jim Moodie said: “Getting more physically
active can have lots of benefits, including improving your fitness and
mental well-being. It can also help you make new friends and get
involved in your community. Being active doesn’t need to cost a lot of
money, there are plenty of opportunities to take part for free. Making
the most of the outdoors, like we have today, is one way to get fit and
healthy and there’s plenty to offer in the borough’s parks and
countryside.
“SHAPE is not just aimed at targeting health, it also benefits
education, culture, social care, stronger and safer communities and the
borough’s economy. Everything’s ready to go, now all we need is you!
There’s plenty on offer, so get involved, get active, get in SHAPE.”
To find out more about SHAPE can contact Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s Active Living Team on 01942 488481 or visit
www.wlct.org/SHAPE
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this press release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Media and Public Relations Manager, on 01942
486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org and/or Phil Green at Wigan Council’s
Press Office on 01942 827369 or at
p.green@wiganmbc.gov.uk
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to help people across the Wigan Borough to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
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‘On Your Marks’ – led by the Mayor of
Wigan and Tommy Sale the SHAPE runners and riders line up at Pennington
Flash
Jenny Meadows and Peter Riley carry the
torch through Wigan Pier |