As a regional body, we understand the importance of having an effective regional system of support for physical activity across all domains – play, active recreation, active transport, and sport. The Wellington region includes the Wairarapa and stretches as far north as Otaki; more than half a million New Zealanders live here.
While we are one of the more active regions in the country, physical activity levels have been in decline for some time and this decline is more marked in some communities across our region than in others. This is concerning for us. We know that as the level of physical inactivity rises, so too do the associated financial and social costs of that inactivity.
To help address this, one of our strategic priorities is about helping to create a connected and effective sector in the region so we can work collaboratively to improve physical activity levels. Our work in this area is focused on how we can work better together to harness our collective knowledge, skills, and resources to improve the wellbeing of the people in our communities. Our regional effort is towards encouraging and facilitating more partnering, collating and using insights for planning and decision-making, building our collective leadership capability, and exploring how best to share the resources we have available in order to have a positive impact on people’s lives.
