Special Interest Groups

We currently have 2 groups in development:

Animal Interactions

A special interest group for Animal Interactions was formed for those with an interest in how animals can help people engage with the outdoors and improve mental wellbeing. You don’t have to work with animals at your organisation to join the group and we welcome all. To be added to the SIG email list for updates on upcoming meetings please email Gemma Walpole at gwalpole@redwings.co.uk

Read the notes of the meeting on 27th July 2021 here

Place Perfect

The Place Perfect Group held an initial meeting on 26 May 21 with an emphasis on learning and connecting. Dr Rosie Rowe, Oxfordshire’s Lead for Healthy Place Shaping shared her experience of leading the Bicester Healthy New Town programme. We discussed the principles of creating sustainable, well designed, thriving communities. Rosie also gave a really useful insight into the Wild Bicester project which works with the local community to enable residents to improve spaces for wildlife and highlight the positive impact on wellbeing.

Simon Hamilton from Active Norfolk then provided an overview of creating healthy places in a Norfolk context and described placemaking approaches such as the 20 Minute Neighbourhoods and the potential uses of design guides and codes such as Active Design and Building for a Healthier Life. The workshop helped to identify priorities for the group to collaborate in future, such as identifying inclusive approaches to design that involve community members from the outset, and improving access and quality of green spaces for people to enjoy and be active.

For more information contact Simon Hamilton at simon.hamilton@activenorfolk.org

‘Walking plus’

This group arose from a workshop about ways of enhancing the walking experience. The first meeting of this Group was held on 9th February 2022 and focused on a presentation of Active Norfolk’s online activity finder ‘Every Move’. A recording of the session can be viewed here.