A project aimed at addressing the problem of access to recreation in rural areas and making sport and active recreation generally more inclusive.

Fit Together is an innovative partnership project involving Community First, Age Concern Wiltshire, Youth Action Wiltshire and the Wiltshire & Swindon Activity & Sports Partnership (WASP) as the core group to support and deliver the project.

The aim of the partnership is to work across Wiltshire with rural and isolated communities to increase the availability of sport and active recreation in a coordinated manner – in order to improve health and build stronger communities.

The key factor with this project is that it aims to use sport and active recreation as a tool to help build stronger communities and lead to an improved healthier lifestyle. With both Age Concern and Youth Action Wiltshire in the partnership this project offers a real opportunity to break down some of the barriers that frequently exist between older and younger people and thus improve intergenerational respect.

The project team will offer support in the form of consultation, delivery, formation of groups, establishing an activity and help with accessing funding. The need for activities and sport in rural areas is often hi-lighted but provision and access to existing services is often very difficult. Transport is limited in rural areas with some areas having minimal services during school journey times only. The partnership will link with the County Sports Partnership’s health sub-group, the PCT and other interested stakeholders in this field to develop and assist with healthy lifestyles for rural communities.

A Sport England grant has been awarded to begin this project but a certain level of further match funding is still required to ensure the targets are met.

Follow this link to download the End of Year Report - April 2008. (PDF File - 307kb)