Since the Inception of Active Withernsea in 2018, the team have been on an evolving journey which has been led by local community and partner engagement in order to establish the direction of our work and support.
An important part of this journey was Implementing the Pathfinder which alongside our themes continues to guide our work to date.
Implementing the PathfinderHaving really taken the time to listen to the Withernsea community, we felt that we were in a position to support and facilitate change. Initial pathfinder themes were identified and as part of the iterative approach to the Active Withernsea journey, these have evolved as more of the Withernsea community has come forward to lead change that is meaningful to them:
Initial themes:
Activities for young people
The lack of activities for young people resonated strongly across the town. The delivery of a Street Games Doorstep Sport development project and the appointment of a ‘Hybrid Teacher’ have been instrumental in the empowerment of young people to lead and take part in activity out of school. Young people are also a priority for partners in the town with a weekly youth club now established. Empowering Young People continues to be an Active Withernsea priority as part of working with our place across the life course.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The development and launch of 'All Wheelz', a FREE Scooter and Skateboard hire scheme located at the Hut. This enables young people the opportunity to hire equipment on a short-term basis, creating and enhancing opportunities to be active. This project has been expanded, based on evaluation and engagement following its launch, which saw 'All Wheelz' branch out a secondary 'hub' at Withernsea Primary School, offering longer term loans of bikes and scooters to support Active Travel to and from school as well as within the local community. Connections are now expanding into Withernsea High School with strong relationships being developed between our 'Hybrid PE Teacher' and The East Riding Active Travel Team which enabled the launch of an after-school Bike Club.
The design and installation of a new active playground at Withernsea Primary school. This project involved hands on design with the children, with an aim to merge physical activity with a fun and engaging space. The playground has made a great impact to the students across all year groups and is now available for wider community use Monday-Friday afterschool hours until 5.30pm. Following the work across both the Primary and High School, 'Youth Health Champions' from Withernsea High School have been leading weekly afterschool sessions on the playground to help maximise the playgrounds potential, grow its visibility and help build strong student relationships to ease the transition between schools.
Open Spaces
Through engagement around the town, key spaces were identified: Activities on Kirkfield green space led to the All Wheelz bank and resident-led project to transform a small green space into a community activity area is currently in development. Promotion of activities along the Prom has led to the development of Withernsea Park Run which is due to launch in early 2024.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The redevelopment of Withernsea Skate Park - In 2024 work will begin onsite to revitalise the existing Skate Park, bringing it into the current era and making it fit for purpose. Engagement took place across the community and a local 'user group' was formed which has enabled us to ensure the space captures the needs and wants of our local community. The revamped space will enable beginners to advanced riders of skateboards, scooters and BMXs to enjoy a welcoming and inviting space for all ages. Work is ongoing, in partnership with Withernsea Town Council and Active Sports, to create a 'Friend of the Skate Park' and 'Skate Park Rangers' enabling the further development and enhancement of the space for years to come.
Walking and Cycling
This was initially identified as an area with energy to develop in the town. Over the last few years community and school-based bike libraries have been established, Active Travel has been brokered into the town, new walking routes mapped, walking booklets produced and community walks coordinated by the Library and Holderness Health. Some currently un-feasible ideas have been explored too.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The BITS Project was an expansion of work originally carried out in Holland; it saw a large number of cycles distributed across the local community with no cost, to help enable and promote active travel within the town. Trackers on the bike were used to collect data in order to measure the usage and impact. This project has since been taken on by The Bue Doors who are looking to widen the offer for cycling within the community.
Adapted Bikes has been a very passionate project for many in the local community. Whilst work continues to further the opportunities to access these more frequently at wider community level, we have been able to create small care home networks, bringing together those passionate about enhancing physical activity opportunities for residents who ordinarily would find accessing generic cycles a challenge or impossible. This network is now being led directly by the care homes themselves and they equally have a passion about enabling wider community access. Victoria Day Centre's doors have been opened on a weekly basis for local SEND support group 'The Lookout' to host a SEND Youth Club, which has enabled young people and their families to take advantage of the adapted bikes at these sessions. Work continues with the support of the PACE Network, Blue Doors and Withernsea High School to build and enhance a wider community offer.
Community Shaper Opportunities / Community Capacity Building
With the initial ambition of developing capacity within the town, a number of opportunities were trialled with residents, community members and partners of which some were successful in bringing people together and developing constructive relationships and others were more complex than we were collectively ready to use. Most recently and going forwards, the focus is on holding a space for the PACE network to establish. Supported by Active Withernsea, the Physical Activity Community Engagement (PACE) Network is the future of physical activity and community engagement in Withernsea. The purpose of the network is to champion physical activity and together tackle the barriers to being active.
Wider examples of our projects include:
PACE network - The PACE network launched in 2022 and is free to join, open to anyone who has an interest in supporting Withernsea to be more active. It involves workshops, events and networking. Click here to find out more about the PACE network and how you can get involved.
A Nora Bateson session saw Active Withernsea and the world-renowned educator and broadcaster come together for a fun and informal afternoon to understand more about happiness, feeling safe and health, as experienced by those living in Withernsea. Around the world, people live in communities, each person has different views, experiences and relationships meaning their world is constantly changing. Yet, when organisations look at an issue or question, they often only do so from one viewpoint – which can mean their understanding of an issue is too simplistic to work for real people in real life. Community residents, Partners and Organisations came together to explore the question, “The future of health and wellbeing in Withernsea?” in a way which celebrated and embraced people’s real lives in Withernsea.
Get Going Kickstarter investment fund
Get Going Grants is an easy to understand and accessible small grants scheme which enables individuals, groups and organisations to test new and innovative ideas that promote physical, mental and social activity. Active Withernsea works closely with the applicant during the initial stages and throughout their activity journey, providing encouragement and support to enable sustainability. The scheme has been instrumental to kickstarting Withernsea-led activities. Most recently, we have launched the Active Growth Grant development programme which aims to support established organisations by testing the feasibility of ambitions to grow their activity offering and supporting feasible plans with funding and development assistance.
Examples of the 'Get Going Grants' funded:
The scheme enabled the Withernsea Karate Club to host some taster sessions to give more people the chance to experience the physical, mental and social benefits of karate. The sessions were very popular with people of all ages attending the fun sessions. The club has now gone from strength to strength with memberships nearly at capacity.
The Withernsea Carnival Committee applied for funding for several new activities including open swimming sessions at the Withernsea Leisure Centre and a sports day. All the events were well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who took part.- They are now actively incorporating physical activity options within the annual 9 day event.
Our first individual application, Anyone for Tennis applied for funding to explore community interest in tennis with the long-term goal of re-establishing the tennis courts in Withernsea. Based on the vast interest from the community, 'Withernsea Tennis Association' was created and they are now accessing the Active Growth fund to explore the feasibility of creating three all weather courts.
More recently identified themes:
Life course
Whilst working with the community of Withernsea and engaging in system change mapping, it was identified that we could better support the town by looking across the life course. Our engagement spans across the life course and we are facilitating physical activity opportunities with young people and older people in care homes. The life course is represented in PACE too with residents, partners and young people from the high school engaged.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The development and launch of 'Physical Activity Pods'. These small hubs will contain a range of Physical Activity resources which are tailored to the local environment. A network of organisations, groups and partners are working collectively to manage and share the resources on a 'pod-to-pod' basis. A range of locations have been identified across the community to ensure these can not only support the development of existing clubs and opportunities, but help overcomes barriers to see the successful launch of new opportunities to be active in the future.
The Withernsea High School Media Wall project has transformed the school dinner hall. It is a large digital screen displayed amongst inspiring graphics and past alumni student quotes, to not only inspire students but celebrate successes. The Media Wall is an opportunity to connect young people into the community and is a FREE method of advertisement for the local community who offer and host physical activities. Since the installation in 2022, there has been a vast increase in young people accessing afterschool sporting opportunities and equally, connecting them, alongside their wider families to community offers too. We are continually looking to ensure opportunities to be active are connected to the wider community to create a happier, healthier and more active Withernsea!
Inequalities
Inequalities is a subject that has a passionate energy in the town. We have worked with a number of local partners to enable the use of adaptive bikes in the town and accessibility was identified as a ‘sticky’ issue for the PACE network of which a PACE subgroup is regularly meeting to progress.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The PACE subgroup with a specific focus and interest around 'Disability, Accessibility and Inclusivity' are currently working alongside the Active Withernsea team and wider organisations to make the Adapted Bikes accessible more frequently to the wider community. The group are also exploring any wider issues and challenges which may act as a barrier for those living with a disability or long-term health condition to access or take part in physical activity.
Ongoing development work with the Community SEND Support group 'The Lookout' continues, with funding recently awarded via our 'Get Going' Grants scheme to support the launch of SEND Swimming Sessions and SEND Physical Activity/Soft Play Sessions, alongside the Youth Group at Victoria Day Centre with access to the Adapted bikes. Using a Social Stories approach has also been a key part of this funding which supports those with additional needs to feel comfortable and in control when accessing new environments.
Working in partnerships has been essential in making progress for this theme. A range of 'Girls Specific' sports offers (Rugby, Golf Football) and SEND Sports Sessions are being launched in the town with wider groups being upskilled to ensure they are inclusive and accessible to all. Withernsea High School are currently connecting with the 'Safer Project' and in the process of launching sports sessions with a focus on Inclusivity and growing an awareness of LGBTQ+.
Sport
‘Traditional sport’ did not feature heavily in the initial engagement with the Withernsea community but more recently, the development of traditional sport in the town which has been hugely lacking, has gained momentum. Established clubs are coming forwards to expand their offer, starting introductory level activities, female and young people sections, as well as the trial of ‘new’ sports in the town such as sea/ beach sports, disc golf, walking football and tennis. All of which are being led by local people and groups.
Wider examples of our projects include:
The Golf Project saw all 5 local Primary Schools have a Golf Professional Coach attend their schools to deliver golf taster sessions. The aim was to grow visibility of the sport whilst breaking down the stigma of being able to access the sport. A range of afterschool and Easter camps were also hosted to build a pathway into the local Golf Clubs. Further work continues with Withernsea Golf Club to ensure young people and families alike can access the sport and further exploration into developing 'All Weather Provision' is being supported through the Active Growth programme. In 2024 further work will take place at Withernsea High School with a Golf Professional Coach delivering a series of 'unleash your drive' sessions which will include students within the enhanced provision and the 'Girls Rock' programme.
