A new drive is being launched to encourage Dundee people to improve their health by walking in the city’s parks and green spaces.
Posters promoting the new Dundee Walks initiative are being unveiled featuring slogans like “Walking can help you live longer” and “Walking works your muscles and keeps you fit”.
A green bus map is also being produced to show people how to get around the city’s parks and spaces by public transport, alongside maps for three health walks in the north of the city.
An accompanying social media campaign will ask people to post online greenspace selfies, with a prize draw for winners over summer.
The city’s Green Health Partnership, which involves Dundee City Council and NHS Tayside, is launching the maps as part of a wider project to get people to get outdoors and enhance their wellbeing.
Councillor Kevin Cordell, city council neighbourhood services convener said: “Dundee is blessed with a number of award-winning parks and green spaces.
“All of the green health partners are keen that people should get out and about in these natural spaces and improve their health and wellbeing through the simplest exercise of all – walking.
“These new promotional materials will help raise awareness and show people the way to good physical and mental health.”
The Green Bus Map shows Dundee's greenspaces and also includes a social media campaign - asking people to post pictures of their greenspace adventure/favourite place using the hashtag #XploreOutdoors.
Prize draws will take place fortnightly during summer and prizes include:
- Tickets to a Dundee FC Match
- Tickets to a Dundee United Match
- 4x one week bus pass
- electric bike hires for 2 people
- Tickets to the Flower and Food Festival
- Family ticket to Camperdown Wildlife Centre
- Family ticket to Olympia Swimming
Funding for the campaign has been secured through Smarter Choices, Smarter Places.
Mary Colvin, NHS Tayside Senior Health Improvement Practitioner, said, “We know that greenspaces can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health and wellbeing, so I urge people to get out and use them. With the launch of these greenspace maps, it has never been simpler. There are no excuses not to get walking. Walking is an easy way to fit some exercise into your daily life."
Councillor Lynne Short, city development convener, said: “We are already working hard to promote active travel choices in the city and I am pleased to see this new campaign building on that.
“The benefits for our city can’t be underestimated; healthier citizens, more connected communities and reduced traffic congestion.”
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
