Creating Healthy Active Neighbourhoods
Oxfordshire isn't quite what it seems. Beyond the dreaming spires there are areas across the county facing significant challenges, and embedded inequalities meaning that thousands of residents are missing out on the chance to live an active life.
- Over 28,000 people in Oxfordshire are living in the 17 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA) that are within the 20% most deprived nationally, including 6600 children and 4300 people aged over 60.
- 3 LSOAs in Oxfordshire are in the 10% most deprived in terms of health inequalities, these are in Banbury Ruscote, Banbury Cross and Neithrop and Carfax.
- Children in low income families are 30% more likely to have low activity than children in high income families
At Active Oxfordshire, we are passionate about making sure that everyone across our county has the same access to physical activity and sports opportunities, to protect their health, well-being and life chances. But we know that the inequality gap widened even further as a result of COVID-19, and it's more vital than ever to take a place based approach to challenging these stubborn inequalities and fighting inactivity levels.
Our key priorities
Healthy Active Neighbourhoods is one of our three strategic priorities. We will focus on:
- Enabling Active Travel, working with community groups and residents in areas of greatest need (known as priority neighbourhoods)
- Co-production with priority neighbourhoods
- Increasing access to green spaces
Moving forwards, our plans include modelling new funding approaches and increasing active travel in communities across the county; launching a series of Active Neighbourhood Scans to gather vital insight about both community assets that help activity and the barriers that can prevent activity; and ensuring that any solutions are co-produced alongside residents and communities.
Our Fighting Inactivity video talks more about how we are working through partners and within Healthy New Towns to make a real difference:
