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Harris, Corey (2010) An investigation into the physical activity opportunities available in Gloucester city. Masters thesis, University of Gloucestershire.
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Text (Final thesis)
Harris (2010) MSc An Investigation into the Physical Activity Opportunities Available in Gloucester City..pdf - Accepted Version Available under License All Rights Reserved. Download (25MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the physical activity opportunities located in Gloucester City. The study was commissioned by Gloucester City Council based on the premise that the information gathered will assist health and physical activity promoters to develop strategies and practices to focus on any gaps in provision identified. The information gathered can also provide guidance when developing physical activity opportunities to address health and social inequality, and improving the community's health. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were utilised in this study. The qualitative research methods consisted of four semi structured interviews with people employed within Gloucester City Council's key partnerships to assist with finding physical activity providers and locations. The quantitative research method consisted of the design and distribution of one hundred and sixty questionnaires to physical activity providers in Gloucester city. Eighty six questionnaires were returned, representing a response rate of fifty four percent. The results from the questionnaires revealed that a high level of physical activity opportunities were provided by private health and fitness clubs within Gloucester City. Nearly seventy percent of the physical activity opportunities identified were located within private health and fitness clubs, with 'Aerobics' the most popular physical activity opportunity provided. Concessionary price offers used to attract participation in these activities were largely targeted at students and corporate organisations. Activities for priority groups identified by the Department of Health and Gloucester City Council i.e. the elderly, women, the unemployed and people of black and minority ethnicity, were rare. The research found the locations of physical activity opportunities provided within Gloucester City are not evenly spread geographically. Gloucester City Council had previously demarcated the city into four regions (North South, East and West), the research found that both the North and Central regions had over one hundred physical activity opportunities within their respective regions, with the major private health and fitness clubs located within both regions making a major contribution to these figures. Within the East and South regions of Gloucester there were significantly less physical activity opportunities identified in these regions. These findings indicated a direct relationship between the number of private health and fitness clubs located in a region and the amount of physical activity opportunities found within the region. The author recommends the creation of a physical activity database that is accessible to the public allowing them to search online for suitable physical activity opportunities within Gloucester City. The database should be linked to websites of organisations such as Active Gloucestershire or Aspire Sports and Leisure Trust. It is recommended that physical activity opportunities should be developed within the North, East and South regions specifically with the intention of providing concessionary price offers to the priority groups identified by the Department of Health and Gloucester City Council. It is also recommended that further research is conducted into the facilities, capacity and commitment by organisations such as schools, churches and community centres to host physical activity opportunities.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Physical activity |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports |
| Divisions: | Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Applied Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Susan Turner |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Sep 2018 11:08 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Aug 2023 09:10 |
| URI: | https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/5990 |
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