Page 40 - Spring 2019

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People taking on a variety of
40
activities, including Zumba,
boccia and walking rugby –
as well as more traditional
sports – will register their
time spent exercising each
week, with that figure being
converted into miles.
Anyone completing
100 hours of exercise will
have completed their round-
the-world trip, with land-
marks along the way
including 20 hours for cross-
ing the UK and 40 for Europe – with participants receiving ‘postcards’ to recognise their achieve-
ment in reaching significant landmarks along their journey. Pilot schemes have already shown
the programme to be a success with Vijay Patel turning a 30-minute lunchtime run into the con-
fidence he needed to get a job.
Those with learning disabilities are twice as likely to be obese and have, on average, a
17-year reduced life expectancy “Taking part in Round The World Challenge has made me so
confident and helped me get a paid job,” he said. “I feel so much fitter and I’ve made loads of
friends. I now play in a five-a-side football team where I am the top goal-scoring striker. “Thank
you to players from the National Lottery for giving us the money to help more people like me get
involved.”
The £1.7 million project will be majority funded by our £1 million investment of National
Lottery money, with the sessions at each hub being run by specially trained staff and volunteers
to ensure participants feel welcome and encouraged. As well as the health benefits of increasing
physical activity levels, research has shown that getting those with a learning disability involved
in sport can have a positive impact on the rest of their life. By week 20 of a pilot scheme none
of the participants said they felt worried, sad or unhappy.
“This unique partnership between Mencap and Sport England offers the chance for people
with learning disabilities to be-
come more engaged with
other people and social activ-
ity, something Mencap
strongly believes in,” said
Mencap chief executive Jan
Tregelles. “Exercise is for ev-
eryone and can have positive
benefits including extended
social interaction.” Our Active
Lives Adult surveys have
shown that 43.1% of adults
with learning disabilities are
classed as inactive, compared
to the national average of 25.2%.
“We must make sport and physical activity
“We must make sport and physical activity
an attractive and accessible lifestyle choice”
an attractive and accessible lifestyle choice”
Said chief executive Tim Hollingsworth
Said chief executive Tim Hollingsworth
Those with a learning disability are also twice as likely to become obese, five times more likely
to be morbidly obese and on average will die 17 years before those without a learning disabil-
ity.