“Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world….”  You could influence those people that make decisions on facilities, cycle tracks, funding and lots more. Make changes to your environment; be a change maker. Read on.

Lobby your local council

Rush Skatepark, Stroud

Rush Skatepark has been used by over 300,000 people in the last 6 years.  It provides activity for the young as well as the old. The Skatepark has recently been at threat of closure as their landlord wants to redevelop the area.  

Users of the park and local residents got together to lobby their local council about the development proposals. 40 objections were submitted and they set up a successful Facebook page to capture the voices of those against the closure and to promote their lobbying activity. 

Community Outdoor Gym, Gloucester

Sue Matthews lives in Tredworth, Gloucester.  She was inspired by a group of women in the area who were trying to get people active, but she was concerned about the lack of facilities close to her.  She knew that a local hall – Parry Hall – wasn’t being used very often. She asked local residents for their views, got a petition going and gained the support of the local councillor.  Parry Hall now has an outdoor gym which is used by people of all ages and hosts a break dancing class for young people who live there. 

Consultations

Have your say on the Gloucestershire Local Transport Plan. This plan will shape how we live and work in Gloucestershire.  The county council is holding local stakeholder consultation events to hear from Gloucestershire residents what they think of the plan. How can we work to make this plan help us to get more active? Make your voice heard.

Campaign

Are you worried about a facility where you live that is about to close, or want to make use of hall or space that isn’t being used?  Would you like to be more involved in creating spaces or influencing to make physical activity something we all do?  Get involved with our campaigns and be a change maker.

Making the most of your local school’s facilities

Do you think your local school has sports facilities or a hall that other people could use to become more active?  Many head teachers are interested in opening up their school space to help the local community.  Get in touch and we can give you some help with this.

Share your story

Speaking up and having your say takes a lot of courage. Inspire others by sharing your story of what you have done.  It can be emailing the council about a local consultation, or writing to your MP about cycle tracks.  It is all very important.