I Will If You Will challenges businesses to get their workforces active

I Will If You Will (IWIYW), the female fitness movement in Bury, has launched a challenge to businesses and organisations to get their workforces more active, more often and reap the benefits this can bring.

IWIYW, delivered by Bury Council with National Lottery funds from Sport England, has partnered with The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust physiotherapy department at Fairfield General Hospital to use national Workout at Work Day (W@WD) as the launch pad for the initiative.

Staff from Bury Council and Fairfield Hospital tried taster sessions led by IWIYW instructors, with Zumba, Piloxing and Metafit on the menu during their lunch break.

Staff also took time out with physiotherapists from the Trust to find out about simple exercises they can do in their offices throughout the day.

The two organisations have launched their downloadable guide, Getting Your Organisation Moving, which is filled with tips and ideas for businesses looking to implement changes which support their workforce in getting more active.

The guide also directs employees towards national programmes such as the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme and The British Heart Foundation’s Health at Work programme.

Councillor Jane Lewis, cabinet member for communities, said: “Workout at Work Day was the perfect day to launch this new challenge to Bury businesses and we want as many as possible to publicly pledge their support.

“The guide is available for download from the IWIYW website (www.iwillifyouwill.co.uk) where businesses can also make and log their pledge.

“We are already working on a pledge for our workforce and so too is The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.We are now looking for other businesses and organisations to get on board and do the same.”

Deborah Bancroft, advanced physiotherapy practitioner from Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “As chartered physiotherapists we see lots of employees who adopt poor work practices, which can have a negative impact on their health and wellbeing. Sitting for long periods at computers or carrying out repetitive movements day in, day out can lead to joint, low back and neck pains. Often these can be avoided with simple exercises or by making basic changes to their workstations.

“Physiotherapists aim to keep people fit for work and W@WD, which is a Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) initiative, provided the opportunity to encourage employees to incorporate physical activity into their working day and highlighted to employers the benefits of having a fitter and healthier workforce. Thousands of workers nationwide took part in W@WD.

“The physiotherapy department is really thrilled to have been able to work with our partners IWIYW in contributing to the Getting Your Organisation Moving’ document, which we believe will be a valuable resource for our local businesses.”

Physiotherapists recommend the following low or no-cost ideas to employers:

• Encourage staff to take breaks and keep active.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate work station assessments and advice on carrying out their job safely.
• Create a work culture which supports a healthy work-life balance.
• Provide a staff notice board where healthy eating and exercise information can be displayed – for example, a map of local lunchtime walks.
• Encourage staff to report any physical problems early when they are easier to treat.
• Encourage participation in physical activity and sports.
• Provide flexible working if you can.

ENDS

Press release issued: 25 June 2015.

Notes to editors:

1. I Will If You Will is a programme designed to help the women and girls of Bury get more active, more often. It aims to overcome the many practical barriers to being active, while encouraging women to support each other by joining the I Will If You Will community. Phase one of the campaign was delivered by Bury Council with £2.3 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England. For phase two of the campaign, Sport England has allocated a further £2 million to extend delivery over the next two years up to December 2016.I Will If You Will is a programme focused on changing women and girls’ behaviours towards taking part in sport and physical activity with the aim of getting more women and girls being more active, more often, and helping improve the health and wellbeing of people in Bury.In doing so the ambition is to create a guide on how to practically go about engaging with women and girls locally and the implications of doing so.
2. For more information on W@WD, or to get involved, please visit www.csp.org.uk/workoutatwork. For free leaflets on becoming more active, visit www.csp.org.uk/leaflets
3. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is the professional, educational and trade union body for the UK's 53,000 chartered physiotherapists, physiotherapy students and support workers.
4. Health And Safety Executive Annual Statistics Report 2013/14
5. The Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust serves the communities of North Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham, along with the surrounding towns and villages. This area is collectively known as the North-East sector of Greater Manchester and has a population of around 820,000. It is a large Trust with a total operating budget of over half a billion pounds. Its main commissioners are NHS Bury, NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, NHS Oldham and NHS Manchester. Find out more about the Trust at www.pat.nhs.uk