Leading from the front
I am slowly recovering from yesterday's mammoth Let's Get Physical! event - most particularly the tug-of-war as you can see.
This was the BIG ONE: over 200 service users, carers and health professionals from across South Wales got physical at Hafal’s annual Physical Health Day in Swansea University Sports Centre. This year the event formed a part of the summer-long, service user and carer-led Let’s Get Physical! campaign which is supported by Hafal, Bipolar UK, the Mental Health Foundation and Diverse Cymru.
Swansea City Club Ambassador Lee Trundle and Assembly Member Bethan Jenkins presented prizes at the event and a host of exhibitors provided advice and information on getting healthy.
Richard Timm, a service user at Hafal Swansea, told us: "It’s been an absolutely fantastic day, loads of fun and a great opportunity to take part in sports and activities. There’s been something for everyone.
"It’s a great idea to have this day because it gets people into sports who may never have thought of taking part in physical activities."
We do this event every year but it had extra significance this time as we are running the campaign which sets a challenge – both to service users and carers, and to service providers and policy makers – to radically improve the physical health of people with a mental illness and their carers.
The Physical Health Day is one of the highlights of the summer-long campaign because it provides opportunities to try different activities and get advice about living a healthier life.
Activities at yesterday's event included track and field sports, nordic walking, yoga, five-a-side football and tug-of-war. Exhibitors included BikeAbility Wales, Stop Smoking Wales, Public Health Wales, the National Centre for Mental Health, plus our partners in the Campaign Diverse Cymru, the Mental Health Foundation and Bipolar UK.
Working in close conjunction with Trustees (in this case a sporting Gerald Cole)
Being prepared to try out new ideas, however absurd they may appear to be (and turn out to be)...
But that's enough facile management metaphors!
