Vote for Mansfield’s Local Physical Activity Hero

Carolyn Hallam, Health and Wellbeing Manager for Mansfield Leisure Centres, is in the running for ‘Physical Activity Champion of the Year’ in this year’s ukactive Awards.

This award will be decided on the public vote and was postponed from last year. ukactive exists to improve the health of the nation by getting more people, more active, more often.

Carolyn works with a whole host of organisations and groups across Mansfield, including; The Mansfield Health Partnership, Dementia Action Alliance, health services and community organisations to help turn the tide of inactivity.

She is also the Queen of outreach, going to events all over the town to spread help people who are not being catered for by traditional health and fitness provisions.

Carolyn has been with Mansfield District Leisure Trust (MDLT) since July 2014. Before that she worked in community development both in paid and voluntary roles.

One of her biggest achievements of 2019 was the success of and recognition achieved for Mansfield’s Healthy Life scheme. Carolyn took over control of the exercise referral scheme in 2016 from Mansfield District Council (MDC) and has worked to build up an amazing 40 referral sources, including GPs, physios, pre-op assessment, weight management, pain management practitioners. Carolyn and her team’s work has helped almost 600 people since she took control of the scheme.

A large percentage of the population will always join gyms and swimming pools, or take up sports, whether we promote to them or not. Other people need a little help and a nudge. But, there is a huge percentage of the population who don’t even consider those options, people being forgotten about, overlooked. For Carolyn, those are the people she helps, the people she spends every working hour reaching out to.

Paul Suter, our Marketing Manager for the region said:

“Having worked with Carolyn for over two years now, her commitment, empathy to others, particularly those often unrepresented in the local community is admirable.

“She drives the use of all our facilities in Mansfield, focussing on disadvantaged sectors of the community, ensuring everybody, whatever their level of fitness has access to activities and sports, benefitting them both physically and mentally. She’s an inspiration to work with.”

David Evans, Head of Health and Communities for MDC said:

“It is always a pleasure to work with Carolyn. She is enthusiastic about getting people active and in understanding and addressing the barriers that people face in doing so. She is always going the extra mile. She is a credit to MDLT and plays a vital part in getting people more active, more often in Mansfield.”

Her work makes a difference. Carolyn’s efforts in the community, helping people that often go unrecognised and helping others to get active, would be a worthy Physical Activity Hero for the ukactive Awards 2021. She deserves to be officially recognised and rewarded, please take just a few minutes to vote for Carolyn here https://www.ukactive.com/ukactive-awards-voting