Phil Malatesta, Sports Operations and Participation Manager, explains how the University's award-winning GetActive scheme is helping to tackle inactivity on campus and looks forward to the upcoming GetActive annual festival on 24 January.
Whether you’re studying hard for an assignment or working to get through a heavy workload in the office, it’s all too easy for a whole day to pass without having moved very far from your desk – apart from grabbing a coffee or some lunch.
GetActive is a key University initiative which aims to tackle inactivity on campus and we encourage all students and staff to ‘get active’ – and have fun at the same time. We’re proud that GetActive won the award for Best Project at the Winchester and District Sports Awards 2017 – so we must be doing something right!
Here at Winchester, one of our core values is ‘individual’s matter’ and together we are challenged to reach our full potential. GetActive supports that, allowing both students and staff to get involved in non-competitive sport. The ethos behind GetActive is to ensure sporting opportunities are accessible for all. Your gender, religion, ability or age doesn’t matter: GetActive is for everyone.
We work in collaboration with Winchester City Council, Winchester Student Union, Staff Wellbeing and other groups so that together we can tackle inactivity. Popular sessions include Couch to 5K, no strings badminton and the BIG Kick About!
We recently formed a firm friendship with our neighbours at Royal Hampshire County Hospital and with the help of Winchester City Council we are now offering one GetActive session every weekday to NHS staff, completely free of charge.
On Wednesday 24 January 2018, the GetActive scheme hosts its second annual festival which launches our timetable of activities for Semester 2 and raises general awareness for the complimentary scheme.
Last year’s Festival was a fantastic success: over 100 University staff and students took part, with staff encouraged to take an hour away from their desks to get involved. The good news is that the same applies this year.
The Festival runs from 10am to 2.30pm in the King Alfred Sports Hall and activities include:
Everyone attending receives a specially branded GetActive wristband. So come along: bring your course mates, colleagues, house mates and just get involved.
If you can’t make the festival, you can get involved in GetActive by taking part in any of the weekly free activities – no booking required*. Our sessions include tagged rugby, healthy walks and student squash, to name a few.
You’ll also be able to find us on campus every Wednesday late morning with our new pop-up sport sessions, which usually take place outside The Stripe. If you have a spare five minutes, why not head down and play a spot of badminton, table tennis or even golf putting!
For further details on GetActive please call 01962827628 or email Phillip.Malatesta@winchester.ac.uk
*Please note Staff Zumba Gold booking is required via the Uni Gym and to sign up for Couch 2 5K please visit www.groups.runtogether.co.uk/WinchesterRunners