THE PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT –

SHEFFIELD’S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Campaign aim

To make a significant contribution towards a sustained increase in levels of physical activity in the city – specifically to get more people achieving the government’s recommended weekly activity targets.

Four-track approach

The campaign’s contribution towards increasing activity levels will be driven through a four-pronged approach:

1.    motivating – via key messaging and communications

2.    mobilizing – via participation events

3.    informing – via website and other information sources

4.    influencing – via converting key decision makers and ‘influencers’ to the cause

Campaign focus

The campaign will focus on the idea of ‘active living’ i.e. it will embrace physical activity done in a range of settings including – travel-related activity (walking and cycling), workplace activity, leisure-time activity (including sport, walking, dance etc) and home-based activity such as gardening, housework, ‘front room’ exercise etc.

Overall, the campaign will give greatest emphasis to those activities which are the most accessible i.e. those which can be done at moderate intensity (i.e. make you slightly breathless and slightly warmer) and have little facility or equipment requirements. Walking is probably the single best activity which fits these criteria and will therefore be a central feature of the campaign.

Two target audiences – participants and influencers

Participants – local people will be subdivided according to their current activity levels as follows:-

• those already active – the campaign will aim to keep them active
• the nearly active – those doing some activity but not reaching minimum recommended levels. The campaign will encourage them to do more
• the inactive – the campaign will aim to encourage them to try activities and begin to build activity into their lives

Influencers – these can be subdivided into those who influence the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour of others (the best example being parents) and ‘decision makers’ i.e. those who have direct influence on the settings in which physical activity takes place (good examples are employers, town planners, headteachers etc)

Underlying principles

The campaign will avoid lecturing people about the need to be active. It will also attempt to face the challenge of competing with the multitude of commercial messages that bombard people on a daily basis.

It will therefore give strong recognition to people’s aspirational motivations (wanting to look and feel good etc) and give strong emphasis to the fun and enjoyment derived from being active. It will also avoid medicalising the messages because this will either at worst deter people or at best have no effect at all (i.e. the ‘won’t happen to me’ syndrome). In some cases, the ‘get active’ message will be subliminal with the headline messages being focused on  ‘come and have a great time’ or ‘ come and meet people’ or ‘come along a raise money for a good cause’.

Based on best international practice, the campaign will employ humour wherever possible and try to be different and distinctive in its messaging – this is more likely to get our messages noticed and remembered.

Branding

The campaign will run under the badge of ‘The People’s Movement’ and will carry a call to action aimed at the individual – ‘Make your move – be active’.

The aim of the branding is to suggest both a collective aspect to the campaign i.e. the whole city needs to get involved, as well as a personal appeal to the individual to ‘be active’. The branding also focuses on the term ‘movement’ to suggest that what is important is that people ‘move more often’ i.e. all activities that get people moving are of value.

Evaluation

Work will be done to evaluate the success of individual elements of the campaign as well as testing awareness of the overall campaign and its key messages

One of BTCV’s guiding principles is to increase the number of people and communities that have the capacity and abilities to change their environment positively and sustainably.

We give relevant support that takes account of local dynamics and individual situations to thousands of community groups across the UK.

This section of the website shows you:

• How to set up a community group
• How BTCV can help develop people and support community groups to be sustainable
• How to join the BTCV Community Network and take advantage of cost-saving services
• How you can become a local expert to help your community

BTCV is recognised as a major source of expert information, guidance and support to community groups. Almost 64% of respondents to the Community Networking Project research by GreenSpace cited BTCV has the special interest group they value most.

Teams of elderly people and their carers competed against each other in a unique Olympic games event held at Don Valley Stadium.

‘The Care Home Olympics’ was the first event of its kind in Sheffield providing a fantastic opportunity to show people how enjoyable physical activity can be, and to raise the profile of the good work taking place across Sheffield. The event was run by Sheffield City Council’s Activity Sheffield and ‘Partnerships for Older People Projects’ (POPPs).

The day commenced with a mass chair warm up to prepare the participants for the competitive activities including bowling, skittles, mini golf, target throwing, dominoes and an Olympics quiz. The event concluded with a spot of dancing, followed by the Lord Mayor presenting medals and prizes to the winning care homes.

The event was just one of many initiatives in Sheffield to encourage physical activity amongst the ageing population.

Through the ‘Care Home Olympics’ event, The People’s Movement are keen to show practical examples of how being physically active can help older people in their every day lives; for example increased flexibility – helping you to wash your hair more easily; and increased muscle strength – enabling you to get out of your chair.

The campaign supports the games event, which was developed to encourage care home staff and their residents to be more physically active.

Councillor Steve Ayris, Cabinet Member for Independent and Healthy Living, said: “It is really important that we all keep active, no matter how old we are. We know that physical activity, at an appropriate level, can bring health benefits to even the frailest of elderly people. It is also great for meeting people and socialising.”

[accessed 02/03/2009 websource http://www.thepeoplesmovement.co.uk/news_care_home.php?PHPSESSID=3dfca5c4fe0e7aad3f6fc195675936b0]

Name: Skate Hall Berlin.

Location: Revaler Strasse 99, Friedrichshain.

 Revaler Straße 99, 10245 Berlin, Germany Link: <http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Revaler+Strasse+99,+Friedrichshain.&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16&iwloc=r0>

Size: 4,000 sq.m.

Owned by: Vivico Real Estate GmbH. [http://www.vivico.de/deutsch/Metanavigation/Home/ accessed 28/02/2009]

Type of Use: modern leisure centre for youth culture: skateboarding, BMX, rock climbing, music.

Development Timeframe: Five-o GmbH (the managing company) was founded on the initiative of the 1^st Berlin  Skateboard Association (partners and sub-tenant).

Visited by: young people aged 12-25.

Role of the Local Authority: City Council funded feasibility study/district council helped find a location.

Legal Framework: lease agreement with Vivico Real Estate GmbH.

Finance: loans and private capital/ sponsorship/ total investment sum: €500,000 Euro.

Outlay/ Infrastructure: installation of water, gas, electricity, central heating, new floors, toilet facilities/ sporting and leisure equipment: ramps, half pipe, street course, bowling and mini-ramp areas, beer-and-event-garden.

Hurdles/ Conflicting Interests: none known

Published: Urban Pioneers, Temporary Use and Urban Development in Berlin, p.70, ISBN 978-3-939633-28-0

Other interesting Images…

above a photograph of a unique seating arrangement in the toilets?Above a very nice hinge closing detail…the door visibly showing the frequency of its use…and the popularity of the skate hall venue…

Today I have endured my first spinning session…It was an experience to behold…We [half of the MArch Studio 2.0] made a plan to attend and although quite skeptical of the 7.30am start and the 6.40am alarm call we all made it on time set for a 45min session…the effort level required was quite high, and cycling position shifted constantly from seated to upright positions so as to work different muscle groups [for some of us....] I was soon found to be found seated pedaling to music that was not entirely inspiring…but nonetheless the collective will of the group was as much a motivator, as the music and periodic shouts of encouragement by the “spinning leader”….what’s next??? Well potentially some circuit training tomorrow…but first LUNCH…