Appendix 1

Active Communities strategy

Be Active, Be Healthy, Be Happy

Introduction

This Active Communities strategy sets out how the Councils’ plan to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents and the key role we play in providing high quality active opportunities for our communities, to contribute to tackling inactivity and addressing the inequalities that challenge our society.

The diagram below illustrates where this strategy sits within the overarching policy framework for health and active communities within Oxfordshire.

Vision and aims

The councils’ vision is for all our residents to be active, be healthy and be happy.  The focus of this strategy is sustainability, supporting and encouraging people to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing and enabling community organisations to work together to improve health and wellbeing at a very local level.

Our aims are to:

· Enable individuals and communities to improve the quality of their own lives.

· Encourage and support local initiatives that make a real difference in addressing wellbeing and inequalities.

· Increase the range and awareness of active opportunities available across the districts for individuals and communities to take part.

We will maximise active opportunities within our local communities by making use of:

Our six themes

We have identified six key themes in support of our vision and aims and will use these to guide and shape our active communities delivery plans in the coming years.

Our delivery plan

To ensure delivery of our vision, we will maintain a sustainable evolving documented delivery plan. The council’s delivery plan will focus around four key areas:

· Mapping and undertaking a gap analysis of current provision across the district.

· Connecting and developing an active community partnership network between residents, community groups, parishes and businesses.

· Identifying and delivering a programme of projects, activities, and opportunities to improve physical, mental and social wellbeing.

· Ensuring communication, promotion, and continued engagement of active opportunities.

Conclusion

As a council, we are committed to working in partnership to deliver high quality, sustainable facilities, services, and activities for all, ensuring that residents can enjoy healthy lifestyles in an enabling and local environment.  This strategy presents our vision for everyone to Be Active, Be Healthy, Be Happy.