ATF | Achieve Thrive Flourish

Reflecting on the Active Essex Foundation conference, that took place last week, it was clear to see how sport and physical activity unites people. The stories shared weren’t just theoretical examples of what sport ‘could’ do – they were real lived experiences that demonstrated sports ability to turn lives around. Read my reflections blog on breaking down barriers and uniting youth through sport: https://lnkd.in/efCN4XzG

Thank you Active Essex Foundation for allowing Ted and Ash to share their story today. When systems begin to align and clear consistent support is given, it allows organsiations like ourselves to have the capacity to open up opportunities that can be life changing. Talent is everywhere, opportunities are not.

Thanks to everyone at Morgan Cass for their support. We really appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment as a corporate partner and the difference this will make to our young people.

It was great to be able to share some of our stories this morning! Thanks for popping down! Grant Taylor and Cllr Jack Ferguson.

LetsLocalise is doing phenomenal work on helping businesses fulfil their corporate social responsibilities and their delivery of Social Value in their communities and wider - by connecting, and meaningfully working, with schools of all types and sizes and across the country. I'm proud to be however small a part in its work being brought to the public eye. And 10 days ago I met a remarkable South Essex (my adopted "home patch") organisation working for social justice & value, community empowerment; transformation, one success, one life turned round, one community and it's schools and other bodies at a time. It's called Achieve Thrive Flourish www.atfcommunity.com and is headed by an absolute force of nature, Stuart Long BEM. Divya Garg Gaurav Garg I think together you, ATF and the people and places they work with, and the companies & entrepreneurs LetsLocalise works with, would have a lot to say to and explore together!!! And to my friends & followers on here: look at BOTH these amazing organisations and see where you could both add value to, and learn deeply from them!

We had our final heritage ride yesterday and what a ride it was! We cycled from Northlands Park to St Nicholas church in Laindon and explored the area for signs of old roads, woodland areas where there once were old homes built called ‘plot lands’. These were essentially pieces of land that people from London bought during WW11 for £5 to build their very own homes, using them as retreats until they had their haven. The compulsory purchase eventually forced them to leave for developers to build ‘luxury homes’ with indoor toilets, which was unheard of back then! The community had an amazing time discovering the rich history of the area, and we can't wait to organise more heritage cycles in the future. Pedalling through the past was not only educational but also great fun! Wel also held a fix event where the local community could bring their bikes down to Northlands park for some essential repairs!

Stark news from World Health Organization, with global physical inactivity increasing by 5% from 2010 to 2022. Almost one third of all adults globally are inactive, a trend that appears to be following the prevalence in much of the western world. Of course, much of the consequence of physical inactivity relates to comorbid conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases amongst others. We have known for some time now just how much impact sedentary lifestyles can have on health, but are we communicating this sensitively? 💡Here, shifting away messaging from blame to focussing instead on what individuals are capable of is paramount. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis or, NEAT are some types of non-sedentary behaviour that aren't always categorised as physical activity but are classed as movement. Some of these activities, such as cleaning the house and scrubbing the floor vary in intensity. Gardening and childcare are also forms of NEAT, indicating just how many of us are being physically active without necessarily realising! What are your thoughts on NEAT as tool to encourage physical activity in sedentary lifestyles, and how do you implement non-sedentary behaviour into your own day-to-day life? https://lnkd.in/eQFsYU26 Intelligent Health UK | Roots Health Academy

What an amazing experience we had hosting a heritage bike ride to explore hidden gems in and around Basildon! It felt like stepping back in time as we delved into centuries-old history and visited key historical sites. It was so exciting to combine exercise with learning about our local heritage. We have more sessions planned in the near future, so keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to join us on these educational adventures! A massive thank you to Essex peddle power for joining us for the ride and providing some essential skills in the ‘learn to fix’ session!

What a fantastic day it was to witness so many children at the invincible games seizing the chance to truly demonstrate their talents, feel valued, and enhance their skills in the sport they love! Creating pathways for the community that don’t always get the chance to do so was a highlight of the event. It was heartening to see everyone come together, support each other, and foster a sense of camaraderie. These opportunities not only empower individuals but also strengthen the bonds within the community, making days like this truly special. Active Essex

Well done Jay great work