Get Active Wandle Valley is a partnership initiative targeting deprived communities in the Wandle Valley in the London Boroughs of Wandsworth, Merton, Sutton and Croydon.

Focusing on ‘Fit Families’ and ‘Forever Fit’, (a programme for the over 50s), the project will encourage people to be active and enjoy using the outside spaces throughout the regional park.

Dan Cudmore, project coordinator for the Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust:

I’m very excited to be working on such a unique initiative. I’m hoping to make the project a huge success by allowing everyone in and around the Wandle Valley Regional Park to access more opportunities to get more active.”

This project is one of over 40 projects to secure a share in £8.2 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England. Encouraging people to give sport and physical activity a go, the fund empowers local communities to reach out to people who for one reason or another don’t exercise.

Announcing the funding, Sport England Director of Community Sport, Mike Diaper, said,

It’s great to be working with innovative projects like Get Active Wandle Valley which offer more people the chance to get active in a way that suits them best. Given the overwhelming benefits of being active, it’s important that age, gender, or income never prevents anyone from taking part.”

Dan Cudmore also urged those who can help to get in touch:

Whether you’re someone who wants to do more activity, or someone who leads some kind of activity please get in touch. We want to find an offer for everyone, from golf to gardening and rowing to river clean outs, the Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust wants to hear from you.

For more information or to get involved tweet @wandlevalley, visit www.wandlevalleypark.co.uk or email info@wandlevalleypark.co.uk.