Friday, 26 July 2013

The Olympic Legacy

A year on from the Olympics more than two-thirds of the UK public believe the £8.77bn cost of the London 2012 Olympics was worth the money, according to a ComRes poll for the BBC. It indicates 74% would also welcome the Games back to Britain.

The results suggest people are more active since the Olympics, with 11% exercising more than a year ago, rising to 24% for those aged 18 to 24.

The London showpiece, together with the Paralympics, cost more that three times the original budget of £2.4bn. However, recent government research suggests the UK economy received a £9.9bn boost in trade and investment from staging the Games.

And with many of the stars of London 2012 preparing to compete at the Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium this weekend, the poll suggests young adults are the most enthusiastic about the Games returning to Britain, with 82% of those aged 18 to 24 keen on the idea.

On the issue of legacy, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said: "We've made an incredibly good start, but I would be the first to admit there is an awful lot left to do.

He added: "The single most important legacy we have got from London 2012 is that, everywhere I go around the world, people still reminisce about the Games and say 'well done' for laying on the best Olympics and Paralympics of all time.

Get your running shoes on!

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

England's healthiest place to live?

Wokingham is the answer! According to a new report published by Public Health England, it has the lowest premature mortality rates of all local authorities in England, with 200 deaths under the age of 75 per 100,000. Manchester, which came out worst, had 455.

According to a 2007 study by Halifax, the town was named best in Britain; average earnings of £744 a week put Wokingham residents in the top 5% earners in the country, and 84% owned their own homes. Last year, another survey named Wokingham as the best place to bring up a family, citing low crime rates and good schools.

What makes an area healthier than any other? "It's the social, cultural and economic conditions in which people are born, live, work and age, across a whole life course," says Dr Jessica Allen, deputy director of University College London's Institute of Health Equity.

Kate Lole, who organises the Wokingham festival, an annual food and arts event, suggests that, aside from the affluence of the area, the strong sense of community has played a big role in local health and happiness.

Michael Lawrence, an entrepreneur and chair of governors at a Wokingham primary school, cites the proximity to both London and the countryside as being the best of both worlds. "You have the possibility of a career in London, as well as lovely countryside nearby and lots of active things to do outdoors," he says.

John Harrison, a bellringer and semi-retired engineer, who has lived in the town since 1967, sounds a more cautious note, saying there are "Too many cars, and housing development pressure." Which suggests Wokingham may be becoming a victim of its own success.