Cultural activities are proven to contribute directly to people’s physical and mental health. They also help to create a community where people feel safe and free from the effects of crime and anti-social behaviour. Bournemouth has historically been regarded as a safe and healthy place and has recently introduced a number of initiatives such as the G.P. referral and wellness initiatives based at the Littledown Centre. These concentrate initially on the potential for regular exercise to improve cardiovascular health, but are now being expanded into a more holistic approach which harnesses
the benefits of mental as well as physical activity.

The ‘Wellness Initiative’ will work with employers to develop links between leisure facilities, schools, community centres and the workplace.  Nutrition and stress management also form part of the programme. This theme also has a tourism dimension as the growth of health and alternative health facilities in the private sector has potential to aid the diversification of our tourism product.

The opportunities found in formal and informal, active and passive, leisure pursuits in Bournemouth’s parks, gardens, countryside, on the seafront and in outdoor sports facilities, plays a major contribution towards improving both the community’s mental and social well being and thus people’s quality of life.
Whilst effective supervision via CCTV and frontline staff will continue to be important in improving community safety, the aspiration is to enable and encourage the whole community to use and value their local parks and countryside more. More increasingly, we can then make our cultural facilities ‘self policing’, taking on a new emphasis of prevention rather than cure.

Bournemouth is fortunate to have a skilled and healthy pool of potential volunteers. Harnessing this resource will enable us both to improve cultural services and strengthen community links. Bournemouth already enjoys great benefits from organisations like Bournemouth in Bloom and our countryside volunteers.

Voluntary organisations such as the bowls clubs and allotment associations have already become involved in direct management of facilities very successfully. By working together we can do more.