We commissioned an independent report to find out exactly how active Derby children are. The Chief Medical Officer recommends that under 16s take part in one hour of moderate physical activity, seven days a week. The research tells us that 57% of five to 16 year olds in Derby do not achieve the recommended seven hours of moderate physical activity a week.  With your help we can change these worrying facts and improve the lives of Derby's children and young people for good.

b-active update

This page includes

b-active Autumn Xplosion - lots of activities to ban boredom!
Mapping adult physical activity in Derby
Weekly programme of b-active buggy walks
Women get active with Make Your Move Your Way
15 top tips on being active this autumn
Do more exercise? I'd rather die
Healthy Living newsletter
Walk your way to health plus new b-active walking programme
b-active family fun day
10 top tips to get your family moving
Visit b-activederby.com
b-active pilot schools
Evening Telegraph backs b-active
Local sporting stars back b-active
Research reaches world stage
Dance gets teenage girls moving
V-Project gets great response
Launch of b-active to parents and children
Never too young for b-active
b-active is for adults as well
Want to be more active yourself?
Find out why children should b-active
Dance is how you could b-active

b-active Autumn Xplosion

Find out what's happening during the school holidays by visiting the b-active website.   There's loads taking place so no excuses for not getting active!

Derbyshire Building Society 10k and Fun Run

The Derbyshire Building Society 10k and Fun Run is being held on Sunday 20 April at Pride Park. Find out more about the event here or visit the Sporting Futures website. 

Mapping adult physical activity in Derby

An exciting project gets underway on 6 February to map all adult physical activity happening in communities across Derby.

Weekly b-active buggy walks

b-active has launched a new programme called 'b-active buggies'' - a walking activity for you and your baby or toddler.  A great way for your family to be active together.  Walks are taking place in Sinfin, Normanton, Derwent, Austin and Oakwood and are planned for Mackworth and Spondon.  For a programme of the walks visit b-active buggies.

Women get active with Make Your Move Your Way

b-active, has launched a new activity programme for women called ‘Make Your Move Your Way’. To find out more visit Make Your Move Your Way for details of the six month activity programme.

b-active this autumn

There are still lots of ways to be active this autumn. We know that health benefits can be gained from regular moderate physical activity. Every little bit helps. At any age physical activity provides a range of health benefits. Adults should aim to do 30 minutes and children 60 minutes on most or all days of the week a day. These can be accumulated in bouts of 10 or 20 minutes if more convenient. You need to get sweaty and out of breath when being active and remember to choose an activity you and your children like - that means you are more likely to stick with it.   Check out our b-active top tips for being active in autumn. 

Do more exercise?  I'd rather die!

Only 38% of Brits would be motivated to do more exercise if their life depended on it, a survey for the British Heart Foundation,BHF has revealed. The shocking results come as the charity launches a dramatic new TV advert encouraging people to be physically active.   Find out more about their new advert and campaign and get some great advice on how being more active can help keep your heart healthy by visiting the British Heart Foundation  website.

Healthy Living! newsletter

Download a copy of Healthy Living! and find out some of the many ways to b-active in Derby. This is the newsletter from Sport and Leisure that focusses on physical activity. Download the September and October 2008 edition -  369k

Walk your way to health

Research has shown that brisk walking for 30 minutes just three times a week could help reduce blood pressure and improve fitness.   The study, led by researchers at Queen's University, Belfast, showed that although the Chief Medical Officer recommends that we are active for 30 minutes, five days a week, exercising on just three days can still benefit our health.   Read the full article on the BBC website.   b-active are running a walking programme in Mickleover, Mackworth and Spondon.  Visit the b-active walking programme for more information on how you can get involved. 

b-active family fun day

100s of families got active at the b-active family fun day on Saturday 28 July.  The sun shone and children and adults took part in activities including climbing, skateboarding, cycling and salsa dancing and watched demonstrations of dancing, martial arts and seated hockey. Lots of children entered a competition to name the b-active monkey and meerkat characters and several families clocked up some miles on the b-active city treasure hunt. View photographs of the day.

10 top tips to get your family moving

To be healthy and active, mums, dads and kids all need physical activity every day. Your continuing health and wellbeing depends on it. And so does the growth and development of your children.

By becoming more active, families benefit in so many ways. Kids tend to stay within a healthier weight range and build better bones, muscles and joints. Active kids have less chance of developing some of the risk factors for heart problems and diabetes later in life. Kids who are regularly active also tend to have higher self-esteem and kids who are involved in organised activities tend to have well-developed social skills and can relate better to others.

But everyone in the family benefits, not just your kids. An active lifestyle means a healthier, happier family. Here are some simple ways to become a more active family.

Visit bactivederby.com

www.bactivederby.com is a new website dedicated to b-active activities. It is divided into three different sections - one for under 11s, a section for over 11s and a section for adults and professionals. One feature on the site is the Have Your Say area in the over 11s section and the Fun Stuff area in the under 11s sections. You can post up details on what activities you have been doing this summer and we will put the best of your comments up on the live site. We will be  adding new stuff to www.bactivederby.com so make sure you visit it reguarly to keep up to date with b-active.  

b-active pilot schools

The pilot b-active schools have been selected and action plans are being drawn up with them with the aim of establishing  a physical activity culture within every part of children’s lives. Read more about the pilot b-active schools here -  28k.

Evening Telegraph backs b-active

b-active is supported by the Evening Telegraph. The paper has joined the campaign to get more children active in the city. Evening Telegraph editor Steve Hall said "It's important that we all lead healthy lifestyles. We hope that by publicising the b-active campaign it will raise awareness in the community". Look out for articles and information about b-active in your local Evening Telegraph. 

Local sporting stars back b-active

GB swimmer Ross Davenport and GB badminton player Donna Kellogg, both local sporting stars have added their support to b-active.

Donna Kellogg said "A campaign like this is a great idea. Exercise can be fun for the whole family and can be as simple as a walk or a bike ride. Obviously it has its health benefits but just as important it can bring families together. Exercise can also help children with their social skills as it can give them the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Exercise has been a large part of my life from a very young age and I would recommend it to anyone."

Ross Davenport said "I was shocked at the high number of kids in Derby who don't take enough exercise, particularly as I think one hour a day can easily be met through walking to and from school, playing games at break times and doing a bit of activity after school. I think the b-active campaign is very important in raising awareness of the health benefits of regular physical activity for families and children."

Research reaches world stage

b-active goes global as Professor Jim McKenna of Leeds Metropolitan University addresses 10,000 leading academics at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Louisiana. Read more about the next round of research here -  20kb

Dance gets teenage girls moving

158 year 10 and 11 girls have been taking part in dance sessions as part of the curriculum at West Park Community School.  An after school club has now been set up and the girls have performed at four events in the city since January.

Natalie Painter who takes part in the sessions said "I love doing dance and it keeps me fit and active. I do two sessions a week, which I think is a good amount of exercise". Find out more about the dance project -  24kb.

V-Project gets great response

Since being launched in January, the V-Project, which encourages 14 to 24 year olds to volunteer in sport and active recreation, has got 163 young people to sign up and placed 42 with local sports clubs.  The V-Project offers a wide range of opportunities to gain valuable experience in all areas of sporting organisations, whether it's behind the scenes as a web page designer, administrator or press officer or as a sports coach.  Volunteers who build up enough hours of voluntary work within a sporting club can access free training to gain useful qualifications such as first aid and child protection and partial funding towards coaching and other courses.

23 year old Reehan Sadiq moved to Derby two years ago and now lives in Littleover. To gain entry onto a sports degree at the University of Derby, Reehan thought some voluntary work in the sector would work in his favour on his application.

“I rang Derby City Council about three months ago and spoke to a Sport Development Officer about volunteering opportunities. The V-Project sounded really good and I asked about roles in cricket or football. A meeting with Rolls-Royce Cricket Club was set up and I now support a coach with a group of children aged six to 11 at the Arboretum Park on Tuesday and Friday evenings. I now know that I’d really like to work in coaching and with V-Project’s support I’m looking into a coaching qualification before I start my degree."

Find out how you can get involved either as a volunteer or a club with the V-Project.

Launch of b-active to parents and chidren

A marketing campaign to raise awareness of b-active and the importance of children being active will be rolled out across the city from the 25 June. Listen out for adverts on Ram FM and look out for poster billboards and posters on the side and backs of buses about b-active. Every school child in the city will get a copy of our Summer Make Your Move Guide which is packed full of activities taking place across the city throughout the six week summer holiday.  

Never too young for b-active

Children develop at an exceptional rate during their first five years and physical activity is integral to building basic movement, communication, co-ordination and confidence, so b-active is making sure it focusses part of its work on the under 5s. Find out more about our work with under 5s here -  32kb. You'll also find some top tips on keeping this age group on the move.  

b-active is for adults as well

Not just for children, b-active is also targeting adults as well.   Results from Sport England's Active People's survey show that only 20.4% of adults in Derby take part in the recommended amount of physical activity a week.   So, whilst b-active aims to get children and young people doing more, it will also be turning its attention to adults and encouraging all of us to get up off the sofa and be more active.   Not only does this set a good example for children but by being active you will improve your overall health, fitness and wellbeing. Read more about b-active for adults here -  32kb.

  For help and advice on how you can be more active visit b-converted.

 Find out why children in Derby should be more active at b-aware.

  
Our Dance project aims to provide new dance opportunities for girls, using dance as a fun and creative
way to encourage active lifestyles. Find out more on our Dance page.