I met with Paula from Evergreen Active o discuss the Safe Places Award they recently received and to talk more about Evergreen Active. Below you will find some interesting facts and information I found out along with some of my own thoughts.

Evergreen Active is an orginisation that actively encourages exercise and life skills like cooking for example.

Ever Green Active are passionate about supporting physical and mental health. They promote that doing a 10-minute walk is more active and can make you feel more positive.

Running and Walking groups across Wakefield are now led by volunteers reaching an amazing 140 people per week.

Evergreen Active offers different activities for young people and works with different organisations across Leeds and Wakefield. One of them is Urban House who house Asylum Seeker families. What Paula loves about these groups is seeing how the children get involved first with the activities and learn the rules while the parents stand back feeling nervous. Children then teach the adults and then everyone takes part. You don't need experience for these groups or to wear expensive kits, you just need to turn up in something comfortable. Not just being active but learning social and teamworking skills whilst having fun and taking part.

Paula's favorite activity to do is working with an older group of South Asian women at the Community Centre in Eastmoor. At first there was language barriers, but now the women get involved and do 30 minutes of activity in any way they can. Some sit down or rest against walls for balance, but all try hard and get involved!

Evergreen Active does couch to 5k with young people across the Wakefield district over a 10-week period. Which teaches them running techniques, breathing, not running too fast, learning how to pace yourself, and looking after each other if someone falls behind.

One young person who did the couch to 5k program was introduced to St George's Community Centre in Lupset through the program as that's where Evergreen delivered the program from. They started volunteering there which led to a full-time job.

I think Evergreen Active does great work getting young people more active in the community. I felt incredibly privileged to have given them a Safe Places award as I think the work they do is amazing. I would highly recommend them to young people, especially if you need to get out more.

I also think Paula is an amazing person which is why I have got some of Paula’s work in this blog as I think it highlights what a great person Paula and her group is.

I think Evergreen is essential for the community as it helps people stay fit and active. Plus, it also helps create more social situations with people, which I think is crucial for a community to survive.

To get in touch with the Evergreen Active team, or for more information, please visit:
www.evergreenactive.co.uk
or email:
hello@evergreenactive.co.uk