Listen below to hear about the benefits of being active and resources available for Staff
B Active and B well – Donna Rooney: https://youtu.be/z7G2dJ4sOhE
Find out more about the role of Sustrans – the walking, wheeling and cycling charity
Fuel Your Journey – Sustrans: https://youtu.be/UvS7c5sG07U
Maps to explore green spaces in East and West Belfast
My Cycling Story- Angela Atalla
I’m one of the respiratory consultants at the Mater hospital, mum to two primary age boys, 2 naughty cats and wife to long suffering husband Chris. But for almost 40 years now I have, as an important side hustle, been a full time scardy cat when it came to cycling
I went to university in Bristol and worked there for several years afterwards. Sometime around 2003 I knew I wanted to start cycling but I was nervous. Whilst I was nervous about getting hit on the roads and being injured, I was also nervous about finding a bike that was the right size for me (I stand at just 5ft 1 and a quarter). To this day I vividly remember ringing a bike shop and asking about a bike for someone of my size. I suppose I was hoping I’d get some general help and encouragement to start my cycling career. The man on the phone asked me what my inside leg measurement was. I explained that it wasn’t a measurement most women knew. He suggested I visit the shop so he could measure my inside leg. I wasn’t in much of a rush to take him up on that offer, and so my reluctance and fear of cycling grew. Despite that my desire to do it remained over the years- I so wanted to be a cyclist- to know what to do, to be confident on the roads and to benefit from the exercise.
Over the last 7 years I’ve worked really hard to reduce our family and household impact on the environment – but recycling will only do so much. Cycling could, I knew, be part of these efforts- if only I could get someone to help me, support and encourage me (without offering to measure my inside leg).
So in the spring of this year, I discovered a fantastic opportunity open to all BHSCT staff via Sustrans Leading the Way programme, which offers free courses and support to get us more active. I seized the opportunity to do the Women’s Cycling Course, I just knew this was my chance. I signed up and under the fantastic supervision of Dianne Whyte, Sustrans Active travel officer, I completed the course this summer. I completed my Level 1, 2 and 3 of the National Standard Cycling Training.
But there’s a difference between knowing how to do something, and actually making it part of your day to day life. I was able to borrow a folding eBike from Sustrans for a few weeks and Dianne helped me to work out a route from my house in South Belfast to the Mater hospital. In the middle of July Dianne also did a buddy ride with me to work in the morning. She then met me after work on the same day and we cycled back to South Belfast together, so I could get to know the route and, importantly, get some confidence. That was a game changer and really meant I was a big step closer to a regular commute.
The first day I did the commute to work on my own I got to work with a big smile and a very dry mouth (I’d cycled with a big open grin all the way, doubtless catching flies!).
Then I got a really fun folding eBike on the cycle to work scheme and I’ve honestly never looked back. Now I cycle into work most days, and I’ve started running some local errands on my bike too – I’ve clocked up well over 320 km on a bike – which is something that I would never have thought possible a year ago.
It turns out that Cycling for me is actually a lot more than just doing something for the environment, its more than being a good role model to my kids and its definitely more than just exercise. Turns out that for me this process has also been about me doing something just for myself – and overcoming nerves and fear which have stopped me from pursuing it for over 20 years. Cycling has genuinely improved my self-esteem, my confidence as well as my mobility, fitness and my energy levels. I now definitely prefer travelling by bike than on foot or by car.
I’m ENORMOUSLY grateful for organisations like Sustrans and for the access I’ve had to the course. Whilst it’s definitely true that I’m just one (very) small cog in a massive organisation, its also true that keeping ourselves, as health care workers, healthy is so important in maintaining our ability and capacity to do our jobs. We may each be small cogs, but we are not easily replaced. Dr Angela Atalla.
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has been working in partnership with Sustrans NI to deliver the Leading the Way initiative. The programme offers a wide range of free services including free bicycle loans, cycle training advice to those who wish to actively travel more, improve mental and physical health and connect to their communities more through walking, cycling, wheeling, car share and using public transport.
For more information on the Cycle To Work Scheme and the role of Sustrans visit Cycle to Work | B Well Belfast or Contact Dianne Whyte, Sustrans Active Travel Officer, Leading the Way (Belfast) Dianne.whyte@sustrans.org.uk Telephone: 07812 470791
Kick Start your journey towards a fitter, healthier you by using some of these great tools.
Diabetes Type2 Physical Activity Referral Programme is a free 12 week programme of physical activity delivered in a range of leisure and community facilities across Belfast.
Cardiac Rehab Phase IV Programme is a 12 week circuit based program.
Health & wellbeing for those that champion ours 
The DoingOurBit platform is shining a light on prevention by championing health and wellness for the NHS and social care’s most precious commodity; its employees. Through the use of best-in-class technology combined with empathetic and thoughtfully curated content, the multi award-winning DoingOurBit platform is a free to participate, 24-7 one-stop shop for fitness, health & wellness, providing:
- On-demand video workouts
- In-person exercise & wellness classes
- Group activities, training buddies & community events
The workouts are suitable for all abilities and have been externally verified to ensure the highest level of safety, integrity and quality. They are made for you, by people like you. Dive in and take a look!
Get Started
Check out #DoingOurBit and enjoy free workouts at home
HERE4U ACTIVITIES ADVERTISEMENT Jan Apr 2022
Our staff are our greatest asset and we want to support them to stay active, feel good and have fun with their family.
We know that getting to the gym and enjoying regular exercise has been more difficult due to the lockdown and ongoing public health regulations. That’s why we’re delighted to announce that our staff can now access DoingOurBit – a free online fitness platform which offers an exclusive range of workouts from yoga to HIIT training, family fitness to relaxation sessions. Every workout has been donated by a qualified instructor exclusively for health and social care staff.
Not only is the #DoingOurBit platform an ideal way to get active, it carries no cost to staff. There is a variety of options so everyone is bound to find something they enjoy from their comfort of their own home.
To find out more watch our video about the initiative.
Staff can access #DoingOurBit by registering with their Belfast Trust email address at https://www.fit4thefight.org/nhs-members-area
Live workout sessions with PT Stephen Breenan for people with autism and their families. To access these workouts please click here: Autism NI | Facebook
Workouts are saved under video section and can revisit them in your own time.
DESK BASED EXERCISE
Click here
Do you sit at a desk all day?
Does your 9 to 5 leave no time for structured exercise …?
Staying healthy at work is easier than you might think. Try building the following desk-based exercises into your working day:
14 Minute Gentle Stretching Session:
https://youtu.be/SWSoZtp6U5c
5 Minute Desk Yoga Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAUf7aajBWE