PEOPLE in the poorest communities are being encouraged to become more active after more than £160,000 was secured through Sport England.

Residents across the Redcar and Cleveland borough will be able to take advantage of discounts on a variety of fitness activities ranging from using the FlowRider surf experience to playing badminton.

The cash from Sport England’s Community Sport Activation Fund will be split into three areas including aquatic activities, indoor and outdoor sports.

Re-Activate Redcar and Cleveland will see a range of activities being delivered across the borough with assistance from the Council’s community health teams, community health champions and leisure provider Everyone Active.

Aquatic Activities include adult learn to swim programmes, swim for fitness sessions and sessions on the FlowRider surf experience. Indoor sports looks at badminton, handball and archery, with a particular focus on dance. Outdoor sports will encourage residents to try new sports available in their local area including running, cycling and triathlon.

Pete Smith, Redcar and Cleveland contract manager at Everyone Active, said: “We are delighted to be involved in Re-Activate Redcar and Cleveland. We are looking forward to reaching out to the communities so everybody will be able to participate in and enjoy activity, regardless of where they live.”

The wards that Re-Activate Redcar and Cleveland will focus on during the project are Grangetown, South Bank, Coatham, Kirkleatham, Newcomen and Loftus with all the activities being low cost.

Cllr Lynn Pallister, Cabinet Member for Health and Housing, said: “We are very pleased that Sport England has given us this award to help us deliver Re-Activate Redcar and Cleveland. Being healthy and active is very important and no resident in the borough should be denied the opportunity to go out and do something they enjoy.”

Announcing the funding, Sport England Director of Community Sport, Mike Diaper, said: “It’s great to be working with innovative projects like Re-Activate Redcar and Cleveland which offer more people the chance to get active in a way that suits them best. Given the overwhelming benefits of being active, it’s important that age, gender, or income never prevents anyone from taking part.

“There are many reasons why a person may remain inactive, such as lack of confidence or worries about cost. Each one of these projects will offer targeted help to people who live challenging lives, so that they can get active and become involved in their community.”