Be a safe place for me and my neighbours

3. MY NEIGHBOURHOOD WILL IMPROVE MY HEALTH AND WELLBEING

The vision

Our community keeps each other healthy and well, seeing prevention as important as treatment. We have reliable access to our local GP as well as services and activities which promote wellbeing, including places to exercise and buy fresh fruit and veg.

Which means:

• We all want to be able to access a GP health centre that’s easy to get to from where we live and where it’s not too hard to get an appointment and has shorter waiting times, even as more people move into the area. • We want to have lots of places to buy good quality food near where we live that aren’t too pricey – we want lots of fresh fruit and veg to choose from, and food shops that are owned and run by local residents. • We’d also like more options for getting fit and active around here. Many of us, particularly young people, would love to have a gym and swimming pool on our doorstep, and one that’s big enough for everyone to have space to use and enjoy. • We want to have access to local parks that are well maintained with good sports equipment and outdoor gym equipment for all ages. • We’d love to be able to do more activities by the river including being able to walk and cycle in the area and enjoy the beautiful views and fresh air around there.

BRL will help improve health and wellbeing by:

• Working with people across Thames Ward to enjoy the banks of the River Thames with new leisure opportunities and activities for residents • Working towards opening a new integrated

Health and Leisure Hub in the District Centre, with a doctors’ surgery, swimming pool, gym facilities and community spaces • Opening the Waste and Ecology Centre and ensuring a programme of health and wellbeing focussed programmes have a home there, including growing activities and skills training. • Creating and improving 25 km of new walking and cycling routes, including supporting the

Greenway “off road” cycle route from Thames

View into Barking town centre • Working with the Council to reopen the Ripple

Nature Reserve • Involving local people and partners in

Healthy New Towns Legacy work, such as strengthening social prescribing • Developing plans to work with the Council and NHS to involve residents in local health planning and the design of health and wellbeing services

Short term indicators of change:

• New Leisure and Health Hub opened • Amount (km) of new walking and cycling routes opened • Ripple Nature Reserve reopened • Number of residents involved in health planning work • Resident satisfaction with green and blue spaces • Opening of Waste and Ecology Centre and number of community users

Long term indicators of change

More residents will: • Number of residents using future River

Thames leisure opportunities and activities • Say they get enough exercise to keep healthy • Feel satisfied with health and social care provision in Barking Riverside • Say their GP is good • More children will be a healthy weight

‘I WOULD LIKE THE WARD TO BE A BIT CALMER AND MORE PEACEFUL.’ “I WOULD LIKE A LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE STATION TO BE OPEN.. A PLACE TO REPORT CRIME TO”

“I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FACILITIES ON THAMES VIEW FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND SOMETHING TO ENGAGE TEENS AND OLDER KIDS GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO ENJOY AND AT THE SAME TIME KEEP THEM FROM CRIME” “I WANT TO SEE MORE LIGHTING AT NIGHT ALONG THE SHELL PATH”