Coca-cola Unveils New Exercise Programme
Coca-Cola Great Britain has revealed it is launching a new, long-term national programme of free activities in parks, designed to inspire people to get moving, with ‘Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives’ set to be delivered in partnership with local authorities.
Launching initially in three key cities, Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives aims to expand across the UK, year-on-year, to help get one million people active by 2020.
As a result, Coca-Cola Great Britain has pledged to invest £20m between now and 2020 in physical activity programmes.
In its first year, Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives will be run in Birmingham, Newcastle and Newham London over the summer months, with organised activities taking place in more than 70 local parks.
Crucially, activities will be free to participants and thousands of structured sessions will be on offer, from buggyfit to badminton, table tennis, tai chi or zumba.
According to the brand’s official release, the activities on offer in each city have been informed by local research and insight and will be led and delivered by trained coaches from the local area.
Professor Greg Whyte OBE, chair of the Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives Evaluation Committee said: ‘As a nation I believe we need to get more physically active. Research shows us that there are wide ranging benefits available by increasing the amount of exercise we do. Spending time outdoors, regularly moving and being active can only be a good thing.’
‘That is why I think Coca-Cola Zero ParkLives is a fantastic initiative, as in year one it will see more than 70 parks across the country hosting a range of free and accessible activities that will get everyone moving and having fun. I’ll certainly be getting my family involved.’
‘I’m very proud to chair the expert evaluation committee and one of my roles is to help robustly measure and evaluate this initiative to ensure that the programme delivers locally targeted opportunities to get more people active and genuinely supports the needs of each local community.’
The programme has also received backing from Sebastian Coe, the Prime Minister’s Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Ambassador:
Coe added: ‘The next 10 years must be about capturing the spirit of the extraordinary summer of 2012 and converting it into lasting change. I am passionate about seeing more people being physically active – that’s why I recently helped launch the Government’s ‘Moving more, Living more’ campaign to get more people active.’
‘I am delighted to support Coca- Cola Zero ParkLives to bring business, local authorities and communities together to help people to move more, in local parks which are loved by communities and open to all. Moving more will help us to thrive as a population, as an economy, and as healthy neighbourhoods.’
