Green Gym
Encyclopedia
BTCV
's Green Gym programme aims to provide people with a way to enhance their fitness and health while taking action to improve the outdoor environment. It can be seen as enabling people to get fit who would not normally attend a conventional gym or sports centre.
an Oxford
-based general practitioner
and BTCV. The first pilot was held in 1997. By 2006 there were 55 projects across the United Kingdom
with an estimated 6,000 people taking part. The programme has received support from central government, and won a Charity Award in 2005.
, clearing scrubland, path building, tree-planting or digging on an allotment
.
The group usually meets at the project site. Sessions include a refreshment break and a chance to socialise. Activities are led by a qualified leader, and a session will typically run as follows:
In 1999 and 2001, The School of Health and Social Care at Oxford Brookes University
independently evaluated the Green Gym projects in Oxfordshire
and East Sussex
, England and identified the following benefits from Green Gym tasks:
BTCV
BTCV is a British charitable organisation that works to facilitate environmental conservation through practical tasks undertaken by volunteers...
's Green Gym programme aims to provide people with a way to enhance their fitness and health while taking action to improve the outdoor environment. It can be seen as enabling people to get fit who would not normally attend a conventional gym or sports centre.
Organisation
As of 2006 the majority of Green Gym groups are run directly by BTCV, a British environmental charity (the initials stand for British Trust for Conservation Volunteers). The rest are either self-supporting or run under licence by other organisations. A Green Gym Licence Agreement provides the framework for an organisation to run a Green Gym project. BTCV provides a high level of support to help start up and run a Green Gym project to BTCV standards. Under the Licence Agreement, organisations have the right to use the Green Gym name, and receive guidance and, if necessary, training on how to run a Green Gym group. The Licence Agreement may be renewed annually by mutual agreement.Origins and development
The Green Gym concept was originally developed in the late 1990s by Dr William BirdWilliam Bird (doctor)
Dr William Bird is a general practitioner in Oxfordshire, England. He has set up schemes to encourage people in the United Kingdom to exercise in order to promote good health, and he was awarded an MBE for his contributions to health and physical activity in the Queen's New Year Honours...
an Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
-based general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
and BTCV. The first pilot was held in 1997. By 2006 there were 55 projects across the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with an estimated 6,000 people taking part. The programme has received support from central government, and won a Charity Award in 2005.
What happens
Green Gym groups meet at least once a week and do between 1 and 4 hours practical conservation or gardening work. All participants are Volunteers. Over two-thirds have never taken part in environmental conservation work before. Examples of the types of work undertaken include coppicingCoppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
, clearing scrubland, path building, tree-planting or digging on an allotment
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
.
The group usually meets at the project site. Sessions include a refreshment break and a chance to socialise. Activities are led by a qualified leader, and a session will typically run as follows:
- 'Tool Talk' - the safe handling and correct use of tools are discussed
- Warm up - exercises to prepare muscles for activity and reduce the risk of injury
- Work session
- Refreshments
- Work session
- Gather up tools
- Cool down - exercises to prevent stiffness
Health benefits
Both physical and psychological benefits are claimed for people who attend Green Gym sessions regularly.In 1999 and 2001, The School of Health and Social Care at Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
independently evaluated the Green Gym projects in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England and identified the following benefits from Green Gym tasks:
- significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness, provided that they are performed regularly.
- improved muscular strength (as measured by handgrip strength) leading to increased coping ability and reduced risk of functional limitations in later life.
- almost a third more calories can be burnt in an hour of some Green Gym activities than in doing a step aerobics class.
- a significant improvement in the Mental Health Component Score in the first 3 months of participation (as measured by the SF-12 health-related quality of life instrument).
- a strong trend in the decrease in depression scores during the same time period.
- waist-to-hip ratio decrease in the first three months.
- The Green Gym is viewed by participants as being beneficial to their mental health and wellbeing.