Visitors to The Mall Galleries, Broadmead, this Friday (24 March), will be able to pick up some helpful tips on how to change the way they travel and improve their health and fitness at the same time.
Transport officers from Bristol City Council have joined up with health and fitness advisers from the University of Bristol and South & West Bristol Primary Care Trust to provide individual and expert advice to everyone who visits their stand between 9.30 am and 5 pm.
Shoppers will be able to find out about cycling, walking, public transport, car sharing and the City Car Club as well as pick up tips on exercise and diet.
Researchers from the University of Bristol’s Department of Exercise and Health Sciences are currently looking at the benefits of physical activity for people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Members of this team will be on hand to give exercise and healthy eating information to everyone, as well as providing more information about the trial to those who are interested.
This is the second travel clinic to be held at The Mall Galleries this year as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to inform the public about alternative and more sustainable modes of transport in order to tackle congestion and improve air quality.
Cllr Dennis Brown, Bristol’s executive member for transport, said; “Bristol City Council is pleased to join up with the University of Bristol and South & West Bristol Primary Care Trust to encourage people to become healthier by considering alternatives to the car for getting around. For short journeys, opting to cycle and walk is not only beneficial for one’s health but also, like using the bus, contributes to a less congested and polluted city.”
Simon Carpenter, health promotion specialist at the PCT, said “Getting out of cars has many benefits for people. For instance, more people in Bristol are recognising the huge health benefits of cycling to work - to lose weight, to reduce blood pressure and to protect against heart disease and diabetes. Cycling has the added bonus of being faster, cheaper and less stressful than using a car.”