CRT hopes to boost activity

The Canal & River Trust charity has been given nearly a quarter of a million pounds of National Lottery funding from Sport England to help reduce the number of inactive older adults in Cheshire. Sport England has put tackling inactivity at the heart of its strategy 'Towards an Active Nation' and launched the Active Ageing fund to promote healthy exercise to people over 55.

The Trust project, in partnership with Active Cheshire, aims to use the grant funding and the county's extensive waterway network to find new ways to encourage older people to get active on and alongside water.

The charity, which cares for 2,000 miles of the nation's waterways, plans to run a three year project which will include the recruitment and training of 12 active volunteers to develop a programme of activities along Cheshire's canals and rivers.

Sport England research shows that inactivity among people over 55 is responsible for just as many deaths as smoking.

Gillian Renshaw, development and engagement manager with the Canal & River Trust, said: This is a fantastic opportunity for the Trust and older people in Cheshire. We know our canals already offer great opportunities for walkers, boaters, anglers, joggers and cyclists. This project will help us to understand their motivation and behaviour, and explore how we can encourage and better support them to enjoy the big outdoors. We want people to get outside, take in their environment, make friends whilst becoming more physically active and where better to do this than along our wonderful waterways."

Anyone in Cheshire, over 55, who would like to get involved with this project, please email gillian.renshaw@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

For more general information about volunteering or donating to the Trust, please go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk or ring 0303 040 4040.

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