In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens captured the feeling of a spring day. "It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."
I felt much the same in the last couple of weeks, as I visited Welwyn Rugby Club on the day of the John Gray cup and joined young runners celebrating the first birthday of the Junior Park Run in Birchwood, Hatfield.
My job as our MP can lend itself to lots of meetings indoors, but I want to challenge myself and everyone in our community to get as active as possible this spring and into the summer.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance define somebody as active when they do 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.
The link to activity and good physical health is long established, but studies consistently find that active people consistently score higher for their mental wellbeing as well.
Exercise is a great thing in itself, but this subject also links to how the government is seeking to reimagine the health service.
One of the three shifts that the Secretary of State for Health wants to deliver for the NHS is a focus on is preventing sickness, not just treating it. To achieve that we must drive down waiting lists and for patients to be seen sooner, but we also need to encourage everyone to embrace the opportunity to get active.
We are lucky in Welwyn Hatfield to be blessed with green spaces and a plethora of sporting societies.
We have the inspiration of being home to a Paralympian gold medallist in Louise Fiddes and competitive action is on offer for men and women, boys and girls in a host of sports.
You don’t need to be a budding Olympian to change your habits though. For example, ParkPlay runs from the King George V playing fields every Saturday morning from 10am and offers inclusive games where all generations play together.
Or, you might simply decide to take a more regular and longer stroll around Ellenbrook Fields, Stanborough Lakes or Sherradswood.
I’m going to do my best to get active this spring and embrace our local environment. If you can, I hope you do the same.
Share