Hi, I’m Anne

My role involves promoting and supporting students to be more physically active by participating in social sports, and exercise plus reducing prolonged sedentary behaviour.

Key Achievements

Active at Home

A resource and initiative have been developed to keep students active at home/halls.

• First a resource called ‘Keeping active in halls’ was devolped providing practical tips, exercises and desk stretches that could be done in small spaces and suitable if self-isolating. 

• Secondly, with a partnership with Keele Sports, Be Active Boxes were then rolled out over Christmas for students local or in halls. Be Active Boxes contain equipment that can be used in halls (table tennis, resistance bands) to promote student in halls to keep active together with an aim to also reduce loneliness.

Taking Control of My Wellbeing

One of my most successful pieces of work has been 'Taking control of my wellbeing' module/booklet.

This resource was designed to empower students to look after their physical and mental wellbeing. Within in this booklet there is information and practical suggestions on how to incorporate healthy behaviours (exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep) and the five ways to wellbeing into student life. 

• This resource had input from the student advisory panel. 

• A condensed version was successfully embedded into induction as a module with 755 views of which 1/3 read in-depth. The full module has been promoted through student service (Life at Keele social media and newsletter) with 337 views, however most of these views were just glances.

Reducing Sedentary Behaviour

One of the key aims of my role is to highlight the importance of reducing sedentary lifestyle and providing education on how to break up prolonged periods of sedentary behaviour.

• The first part of this initiative was putting up physical activity prompts around the Library to promote incidental activity and to promote standing desks. 

• I have presented to the Healthy University Group on the importance of targeting sedentary behaviour and way to reduces it (education, changing the environment). 

• Recently I have launched the Every Move Counts digital campaign with the key message that every move counts towards better physical and mental health.

What’s Next

• The Be Active Boxes have been popular therefore there are plans to expand these boxes in line with the easement of lockdown rules. The new boxes will include outdoor equipment like rounders and footballs. These boxes are being embedded into residence life to ensure the legacy of this initiative.  

• Building on the success of taking control of my wellbeing, physical booklets are going to be printed for the Library (March) and for halls (May).   

• The Every Move Counts campaign will continue to run until the end of April, with the last post being on the national campaign day of On Your Feet Britain. It is planned that I will be working with some physiotherapy students to make ‘Tik Tok’ styled videos on ways to reduce sedentary behaviour.