I am an exercise psychologist at Sheffield Hallam University, working in the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, with a specific interest in children and young people's physical and mental health. The mode in which I aim to positively impact this is through the encouragement, promotion, facilitation, and adoption of physical activity.
As a keen cyclist for many years, I have seen the eclectic user groups that facilities such as skate parks and pump tracks attract; all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, and backgrounds brough together by a common purpose - to have fun! Being active is a by-product of that fun.
I believe that early intervention is key - if someone enjoys being active in their formative years, they are more likely to carry that on in later life. The physical environment in which we grow up can also have a strong impact on our health behaviours.
A collaborative effort
I noticed that for a big city, Sheffield was lacking in high quality urban cycling facilities (e.g., skateparks, pump tracks and BMX tracks). I wanted to help change that, with the knowledge that if we could build more high quality, inclusive, outdoor facilities in Sheffield, it would go a long way to supporting the next generation to be able to live active lives.
This vision led me to discussions with Access Sport, a charity with a mission to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people and inclusion groups, and Sheffield City Council. As a group, we collectively refined the idea and formed a plan of action. It was a collaborative effort to get the project off the ground, and I was fortunate enough that Sheffield has many like-minded folk, who love the outdoors and know how to get stuff done!
