The Physical Activity section covers the work which Health Promotion is involved with to promote and encourage physical activity.
For further information on this topic, please contact:
- Lewis & Harris: Karen Peteranna, Health Improvement Practitioner, tel. 01851 762016 or email: karen.peteranna@nhs.scot
- Uists & Barra: Marion Matheson, Health Improvement Practitioner, tel. 01870 602588 or email: marion.matheson1@nhs.scot
Being active is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Add a little physical activity to your daily routine and you’ll soon find yourself feeling more energetic and alert. As your fitness levels improve, so will your quality of life. More importantly, research shows that you’ll live longer and reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease like heart disease or diabetes.
It is recommended that adults do 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week and children do 60 minutes.
Many people believe that only intense physical activity like going to the gym or running will improve their health. But, being active is about finding something you enjoy doing and fitting it into your daily routine.
Getting fit can be as easy as walking the dog, swimming with your family or taking your bike to work. All forms of exercise contribute to a healthy lifestyle. By building physical fitness into your daily routine you will be surprised at how effortless active living can be – and how good it can make you feel!
There are a number of ways to get active within the Western Isles – simply click on the appropriate link to find out what’s available in your area.
- Outer Hebrides Walking Leaflets
- ‘Walk On Hebrides’ Walking Project
- Uists Sport & Activity Directory
- Barra Sport & Activity Directory
23½ hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?
View the insighting and engaging visual lecture, produced by doctor-professor Dr. Mike Evans, which discusses how physical activity has the biggest impact to health and is applicable to various health problems.
Dr. Evans is the founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael’s Hospital. To view visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
- Be Active. Be Safe. Be Seen.
- Strengthening Communities Through Exercise
- Celebrating Pairc’s Walking Champion
- Body Boosting Bingo: 17th December 2019
- Carloway Cuairt & Ceilidh Walks
- Autumn catch-up for ‘Walk on Hebrides’ Walk Leaders
- Funding success for Walk on Hebrides
- Updated Chief Medical Officers’ Guidelines on Physical Activity
- Nomination Success for Karen!
- Virtually walking to improved health across the Outer Hebrides
- Draft Sports and Activity Directories for Uist and Barra
- Walk on Hebrides Step Count Challenge Spring 2019: Full Report
- Newly trained Walk Leaders for Lewis and Harris!
- Walk on Hebrides: 13 years on and stronger than ever
- Walk on Hebrides – Walking Calendar
- Move More Western Isles – encouraging inactive adults and those with long term conditions to get more active
- Walking All Over The Hebrides This Spring! (2019 Step Count Challenge)
- Walk Leader Training (Westside of Lewis)
- Macmillan ‘Move More’ Programme Launch (15th January)
- Aline Health Walk
- South Uist ‘Walk & Talk’
- Castlebay Health Walk
- Pairc Health Walk
- Benbecula Parkrun
- Balivanich Health Walk
- Laxdale Community Walk
- January Health Walks Promotion
2018
- Be Active. Stay Safe. Be Seen
- ‘Yesterday’s Children” striding to good health today (Shawbost Older People)
- Uists Health Walks
- Uists Buggy Walks
- Promoting the Benefits of Physical Activity with ‘Cairdean Cordail Ceann a Loch’
- Newly Trained Walk Leaders for Lewis!
- Walk On Hebrides Step Count Challenge (Spring 2018) Full Report
- Newly Trained Walk Leaders for Uist!
- Lews Castle College Walk – 11th September
- Uist Walk Leader Training
- Uists Big Junior Hill Race – Sunday 5th August
- Western Isles Hospital ‘Daily Mile’ walk hits 100!
- New Weekly Stornoway Health Walks – starts Thursday 5th July
- Revised Outer Hebrides Walking Brochures
- Success for walkers in NHS Western Isles’ spring ‘Walk on Hebrides’ step count challenge!
- Promoting the benefits of physical activity at Age Scotland’s Lewis & Harris Networking event
- Partner organisations talk health and safety in the home with Happy-Ness
- Uists Health Walks (Balivanich Walks and Lochboisdale Walks)
- Walk the Hebrides this spring! Step Count Challenge
- NHSWI successful in grant bid for health walks
- 2018 Lewis & Harris Sport & Leisure Directory
- Quality of Life Physical Activity Sub-group
- NHSWI Volunteering Opportunities: Big Fit Walk Event Coordinators
- University of Highlands & Islands Health Week: ‘Healthy Happy You’ walk
- Newly trained Walk Leaders for Barra
- Uists Health Walks
2017
- Incredible results for ‘Walk 500 Miles Step Count Challenge’: Benefits of walking in Outer Hebrides this summer
- Newly trained Walk Leaders for Lewis
- Uists success at 5K Memory Walk
- Amazing 43 stones shifted! ‘It takes 3 to shift a stone’ competition success
- Join in with the Big Fit Walk 2017!
- Walk 500 Miles This Summer!
- Support to O.T. Patient Walking Programme
2016
- Walk Leader Training (Harris) – Fully Booked
- It Takes 3 to Shift a Stone
- February Walks… Starts today!
- New Year, New You: January Health-Led Walks
2015
2014
- Outer Hebrides Walking Leaflets
- Stornoway Ghost Walk Success
- Treasure Hunt Success
- Survey of Existing Walking Routes
- Lemreway Transported Walk
- Local Groups Create Transported Walks Programmes
- Uists Classic Tea Dance: Tuesday 9th September
- Castle Grounds Walks
- WIAMH Transported Walks
- North Uist Walk Leaders
- Availability of Walking Leaflets
- BHF Treasure Hunt Success
- Uists Over 50s Exercise Music Class
2013
- Halloween Walk – Uists
- Can you be a Walking Champion?
- Castle Grounds Walks
- North Uist Over 50’s Walking Group
- Walk Route Leaflets
2012
- Trained Volunteer Walk Leaders
- Mature Movers
- Take 30
- Hebridean Celtic Festival: Fame at Last!
- Presentation Event for Walk Leaders and Regular Walkers
- BHF Walks Raise Funds for Good Cause
- Sgoil Lionacleit – After-school Physical Activities
- Review of GP Exercise Referral Scheme: 2005-2010
- Active Nation Strategy 2010-2015