Green Capital 2015: Healthy City Week

“Being green is part of my job,” says Sam Willet. As energy and sustainability manager at University Hospitals Bristol he heads up the trust’s commitment to being green and sustainable and it’s a huge responsibility.

“The hospital is a massive employer and business and we have a huge impact on the city in terms of the environment and we have a huge potential for impact,” says Willet.

“The most efficient way we can have an impact is to keep people out of hospital and keep them healthy.”

The trust has come together with other organisations in the city to create a Health and Wellbeing Action Group. An eclectic mix of surgeons, alternative health professionals and sustainability experts the group’s mission is simple says Willet: “How we can work together towards creating a healthy city?”

The answer is a Healthy City Week (10-18 October) which has been organised to inspire Bristolians to be healthier and be part of a sustainable city. 

The group also wants to include as many of the trust’s staff in the initiative and, during Healthy City Week, have organised a Big Green Scheme event in the trust itself.

”We have 8000 staff,” says Willet. “We want to improve the health and well-being of our own staff and it is important to have that as a starting point. There are lots of things we can do from installing recycling bins to cycling into work. What we do is not isolated – staff will take it home and into the community.”

 “10 per cent of staff are involved and there is a bigger push this year. We are looking to expand into North Bristol, Southmead and GPs surgeries – it’s a big expansion because of Green Capital.”

Highlights of Healthy City Week 10-18 October

Launch Weekend

Bristol 2015 Lab Space, Harbourside

Saturday 10th and Sunday 12th October, 11am – 5pm

Taster sessions with demos from health practitioners, community groups and environmental organisations.

Kitchen on Prescription,

The New Rooms, Broadmead

Monday 12 and Thurs 15 October 11.30-13.30

Healthy eating cookery demonstrations open to anybody who wants to learn about why what we eat impacts our health and wellbeing.

Naturally Healthy: why nature is good for our health & wellbeing

West of England Nature Partnership

Monday 12th October, 7pm – 9pm

Hear from experts about some of the exciting local projects that are promoting ‘nature based health care’.

The Big Green Scheme,

Bristol Heart Institute

Wednesday 14th October, 10am to 2pm

What UHBT and healthcare partners are doing to reduce environmental impact, and raise awareness on the links between our environment, sustainability, health and wellbeing. 

Bristol Health Hub Programme,

Cotham

Wednesday 14th October to Friday 16th October

Three days of taster sessions for a great range of approaches and therapies to enhance your health and wellbeing.

Make It – Developing Collaborative Sustainable Health Solutions,

Open Space, West One

Saturday 17th October & Sunday 18th October

Weekend bringing together people from across health, care, technology and sustainability sectors and the public to work on sustainability projects in health and care in Bristol. 

Full programme at www.bristolgreencapital.org/healthycityweek