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Active Hawke's Bay is a regional project, funded by Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) under their Active Communities banner. The Hastings District Council oversees the project on behalf of the other councils and regional stakeholders that are invovled.
There are two major parts to the project: |
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- Walk / Cycle Hawke's Bay: promoting walking and cycling throughout Hawke's Bay.
- Healthy Hawke's Bay: promoting physical activity and nutrition in targeted sectors of the community.
Because walking and cycling are relatively inexpensive forms of exercise, active recreation and / or active transport, they have been targeted as areas that Hawke's Bay can improve on. With the huge selection of walking and cycling routes around the area, there is plenty of natural resources to work with. The contract for Walk / Cycle Hawke's Bay is held by Sport Hawke's Bay. Bike Hawke's Bay have been sub-contract to assist with various components of the project. The scope for the Walk / Cycling Hawke's Bay project includes:
1. To collect, collate and coordinate effective walking and cycling resources throughout Hawke's Bay.
Collect and collate all existing resources concerned with walking and cycling availble to the Hawke's Bay public. Develop new walking and cycling resources, including calorie maps, for dissemination throughout Hawke's Bay. Develop a web database to be a central up-to-date site for all walking / cycling pathways, and relevant physical activity information.
2. Stepping Out - Hawke's Bay: A Year's Highlights of Walks
A walking programme including a wide range of walks around Hawke's Bay, from gentle surburban strolls to challenging tramps on rugged ground. From secret hill steps to historical pa sites, from pathways to beaches.
3. Hawke's Bay Secondary School Cycling
To develop cycling as a preferred form of transport for Secondary School pupils. To bring the "fun" back into cycling. To develop a dedicated Secondary Schools road and mountain bike programme. Set up a dedicated Secondary Schools Programme for all Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools (initially focussing on low decile schools) via the Sport Hawke's Bay Development Officer - Secondary Schools and a dedicated Cycle Sport Code Development Officer.
4. Active Bike
To re-introduce the bicycle as recreation and as an alternative form of transport for over 50's. To prove regular cycle group programmes based on recreation, education and skill development.
It is a well documented fact that the New Zealand population (like the rest of the world) has been gripped by major obesity problems. While physical activity is encouraged and is a main component of the programme, nutrition education is also seen as vitally important. Using both physical activity and nutrition together, it is anticpated that better results (both short and long term) for the particpants can be obtained. The Healthy Hawke's Bay contract has been awarded to Sport Hawke's Bay. Te Taiwhenua O Heretaunga has been contracted as the Programme Deliverer and EIT Hawke's Bay is assisting with the evaluation and monitoring. The scope of the Healthy Hawke's Bay project includes:
1. Provide a physical activity and nutrition programme aimed at reducing obesity amongst the Hawke's Bay population.
It is expected the programme may use referred and volunteer clients from such providers as GPs, Green Prescription, Maori Health Providers, schools and includes a reasonable percentage from the Active Hawke's Bay target group (Maori, Pacific Islanders and youth). It is anticpated that clients would be given a nutrition and physical activity programme, and their progress is checked with regular monitoring and evaluation.
2. Work with both public and private recreation facilites to promote "Healthy Hawke's Bay" physical activity programmes and facilities.
3. Work to develop an evaluation component for regular monitoring of results of the above.
4. Work to develop a programme that would encourage the ongoing support of individuals invovled in the Healthy Hawke's Bay project.
This is to ensure that results are maintained but also to enable other interested individuals to take part in a simliar exercise.
For more information on Sport Hawke's Bay invovlement with the Active Hawke's Bay project, please contact Brian Fisher on 06 8459336 Ext 706 or e-mail brianf@sporthb.net.nz
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