The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) was the venue of choice for the Natural Health Service Seminar organised by Natural England and Team Dorset. The health seminar was devised to enable key providers within Dorset’s health care and outdoor providers to come together to discuss, pathways to achieving an Olympic natural health legacy in Dorset, which can demonstrate lasting results.
The seminar brought together key facilitators from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd; Commission for Sustainable London 2012; local Government & council; Team Dorset; Natural England; Active Dorset; NHS Dorset; Royal Yachting Association and The Blue Gym. During the day there were three workshops focusing on The Blue Gym, One Million Children Outdoors and the Olympic Health Legacy, all workshops centred on using the natural environment in maintaining people’s health.
The Blue Gym focuses on promoting the mental and physical benefits of getting active along the Dorset coasts and inland waterways. The Blue Gym Project is currently being piloted in the South West, it aims to encourage safe, fun activity in or close to the aquatic environment. One Million Children Outdoors is a scheme being run by Natural England to enable one million children to get active in the outside natural environment. The Olympic Health Legacy is a key program designed to develop a plan to ensure that clear pathways, and measurable health benefits are seen within Dorset and the United Kingdom, as a direct result of hosting the Olympic Games in 2012.
John Tweed, Chief Executive of the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy commented:
‘Not only was the day a complete success but it was an honour to have so many facilitators in the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy working towards a shared goal of improving the mental and physical health of people within Dorset. Creating a lasting Olympic health legacy is something that will give residents a higher quality of life as a direct result from hosting the Olympic Games in 2012’.
Image – Doug Huyler, Natural England; John Tweed, Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy; Jon Orrell, NHS Dorset at the Natural Health Service Seminar
