The Medway and Swale Physical Activity Alliance was formed in 2021 to help improve physical activity levels for local residents.
The alliance sits alongside the Medway Food Partnership and Infant Feeding Network. These form part of the Medway Healthy Weight Network, which uses a whole systems approach to tackle obesity and improve the health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in Medway and Swale.
Vision
The alliance aims to connect key stakeholders in Medway and Swale and encourage everyone to pull together to promote the benefits of physical activity.
The alliance offers a networking opportunity, bringing together everyone who has anything to do with physical activity in Medway and Swale into the same room. It's a place to meet like-minded professionals who are passionate about helping residents of these areas to become more active and live healthier lifestyles.
Alliance priority 2023 to 2024
To achieve our vision and improve activity levels in the long term, we have set an alliance priority for the future. This is to grow the number of organisations participating in the physical activity alliance, promoting each other's opportunities for residents to become more active and collectively promoting the benefits of regular movement.
Alliance networking meetings
The Medway and Swale Physical Activity Alliance meets 3 times a year, with a mixture of face-to-face and online meetings.
We have an open and casual structure, using a ‘business over breakfast approach’. This encourages everyone to share best practice and work with other alliance members to bring about positive change through increasing local physical activity opportunities for those most in need.
Members also have a chance to present and speak about the good work they are doing in a ‘5 minute meet the member’ slot. This allows members to share best practices and learn from each other to create a more inclusive and active environment in Medway and Swale.
Members
Our membership base is growing fast and we now have over 160 members across Medway and Swale, including:
- local physical activity providers
- local council staff
- funding providers
- local businesses and organisations
- clinicians (primary and secondary care)
- charities
- volunteer organisations.
Get involved
Any interested parties from the Medway and Swale area can join our alliance and contribute to our shared vision of removing barriers and improving access to physical activity opportunities for all.
If you would like to join the Medway and Swale Physical Activity Alliance and benefit from our networking meetings, you can contact us by emailing:
- Christopher Ford, Physical Activity Services Project Manager: christopher.ford@medway.gov.uk
- Mark Greenstreet, Community Physical Activity Officer: mark.greenstreet@medway.gov.uk.
Find out more about the alliance and how to get involved by emailing medwayandswalepaa@medway.gov.uk.
Newsletter
Members will receive our quarterly newsletter ‘Activate’ to keep up to date with the latest alliance news and upcoming events.
Email medwayandswalepaa@medway.gov.uk to get a copy.
Useful resources
As a part of the alliance, we promote useful tools that can be used to increase physical activity levels and generate interest in becoming more active in Medway and Swale.
Everyday Active
The Everyday Active website is the go to website for everything physical activity-related in Kent and Medway.
The website acts as a community notice board for residents to visit and browse the many activities on offer. It's also an opportunity for providers to promote their activities to a large audience. The range of activities on offer are either low cost or free and cater for all ages and abilities.
Among others, we have our own Medway Community page and Sheppey Community page to cater for residents living and working in Medway and Swale.
Explore Medway
Explore Medway is an online guide to getting outside and experiencing the best of Medway’s outdoor spaces including lakes, rivers, countryside and woodland.
Videos
Examples of the good work from the partnership working of alliance members includes:
