Coventy gets active for Men's Health Week

For Immediate Use

Men, women and children in Coventry are encouraged to get moving by joining in with events organised in conjunction with Men’s Health Week 2010.

Coventry Men's Health Forum will be supporting the Mens Health Week this year by holding events around the city this June to encourage men and women to put on their trainers on and take part to make Coventry a fitter and healthier place to live.

National Men's Health Week (14-20 June 2010) is organised by the Men's Health Forum and will encourage men and boys to be more physically active. As part of National Men's Health Week 2010, a campaign will be launched to get a million more middle-aged (35 to 64 years) men exercising. Coventry are helping them in the campaign to encourage the Men and their families in Coventry to get up off the sofa and get active. Below is a list of events that will be happening in Coventry, so grab your trainers and come along:

EVENTS

June 24th
Irish luncheon club, Brittannia hotel Coventry, Fairfax Street, 11:30-1:30, chair based exercise (EXTEND) session aimed at the over 60's. Participants will also get the opportunity to do the exercises on a regular basis either at the Irish club or in their community.

June 13th
'Party in the park' 11am to 2pm, Naul's Mill Park Coventry,
organised by New Communities and Coventry Peace House.
Martial arts demonstration by Way of the Spirit Warriors, participants will get the opportunity to join a 10 week martial arts programme run by Spirit Warriors.

June 16th
West Indian Centre, Spon End.
African Caribbean Dominoes evening 7:30 onwards. Use of a Nintendo wii to 'test physical ability.' Health checks and health information specific to African Caribbean men to be done for the evening.
Input from prostate cancer charity and bowel cancer screening.
On stage demonstration by Spirit Warriors. Attendees will be given the opportunity to sign up for 10 week martial arts programme.

July 10th
On stage demonstration by Way of the Spirit Warriors
12pm-4:30 Primrose Hill Park .

July 31st
Coventry's Caribbean festival, War Memorial Park, Kenilworth Rd.
On stage demonstration by Spirit Warriors and taster session of Men only One Body One Life (OBOL) healthy lifestyle programme pilot. Attendees will be given the opportunity to sign up for a ten week programme of their choice.

The Week is targeting this particular age group because according to the Health Survey for England 2008, men aged 35 to 64 years are least likely to be physically active. The Chief Medical Officer for England has set guideline levels of physical activity for men of all ages – a total of at least 30 minutes a day of at least moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days of the week. A million more men aged 35 to 64 in England and Wales need to exercise regularly for these guidelines to be met by about half the UK male population.

Dr Ian Banks, President, Men’s Health Forum said: “After the age of about 35, there's a sharp decline in the amount of physical activity men undertake and most cite pressure of work, stress, divorce and children as the causes. However, physical activity has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety as well as decreasing the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes and can even improve sexual performance.

“Men's Health Week 2010 will highlight the many ways of staying healthy, even for people who claim to be 'too busy to exercise'. The week is not just about encouraging more men to take part in sport – there are many other ways of staying healthy. Simple things such as using stairs instead of the lift, getting off the bus one stop earlier and walking the rest of the way, cleaning the car by hand rather than going to the car wash and so on.”
To find out more and register for National Men's Health Week visit: www.malehealth.co.uk.

Editor's notes
The Men’s Health Forum, a charity, is the centre of excellence for men’s health policy and practice for England and Wales. For further information about the Men’s health Forum visit www.menshealthforum.org.uk.

Numbers of men aged 35 to 64 who need to exercise more to meet the Million Men Challenge (rounded to nearest thousand).

• North West 131,000
• London 125,000
• East of England 110,000
• West Midlands 102,000
• East Midlands 87,000
• South West 102,000
• Yorkshire & Humberside 98,000
• South East 84,000
• South Central 77,000
• Wales 58,000
• North East 55,000
• Total: (unrounded) 1,023,718

Media contacts:

• People can find out more about the events from Elley Scott: Elley.Scott@coventry.gov.uk or 02476832388
• Emma Woodridge or Rebecca Nicholls at Eventageous PR Ltd Tel: 01452 260063, emma@eventspr.co.uk or rebecca@eventspr.co.uk