The government recently published new guidelines about how much physical activity we should do and the types that most benefit our health. But are they understandable? Are they useful? How do we incorporate physical activity into our lives?
In 2019 KWMC worked with groups across Bristol to explore the guidelines and how they could be communicated more effectively, and support people to tell their own stories about physical activity.
The project, How Do You Move?, was a collaboration between communities in Bristol, KWMC, and researchers at the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West). It included workshops with different groups in Bristol to explore how they interpreted the guidelines and how they’d like them to be communicated: many people were keen to hear recommendations from ‘people like them’.
This has inspired four new films where residents tell their own stories of physical activity and how it can be incorporated into everyday life:
– Abiir lives in Easton and has four young daughters. She spent her childhood in Germany, and is now a keen advocate for increasing cycling in the Somali community.
– Ben is a community activist in Bedminster. He’s retired and spends a lot of his time working with local people to improve the neighbourhood, particularly to make it more pleasant and accessible for walking.
– Lesley works full-time managing a large university department, as well as juggling family life. She came to running later in life and is now an active part of the running community in Staple Hill.
– Vince lives in Bedminster and has strong links to Knowle West and Hengrove where he grew up. Despite health issues, he’s used the support available in South Bristol to help maintain both his mental and physical wellbeing.
The films were launched on 22 January at a celebration event at KWMC to mark the conclusion to the research and you can watch them online here.
Zoe Banks Gross, Engagement Manager at Knowle West Media Centre, said: “At KWMC we use digital storytelling to elevate voices from the community and inspire people to make change. It’s great to launch these films after working with local people to develop this project.
“We used the Bristol Approach, KWMC’s co-design methodology, to develop the workshops and it also informed the film-making process. It was refreshing to bring artists and members of the community into the creation of the workshops, which is unusual in academic research. Funding from the Brigstow Institute, University of Bristol allowed this project to get off the ground.”
To find out more contact Zoe or call 0117 903 0444.
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