Wellingtonians find relief with Sport Wellington’s Green Prescription

Wellington local, Paul Holmes, has found relief in the community based health programme Green Prescription. Run by Sport Wellington, Green Prescription (GRx) is a primary health initiative that aims to increase physical activity and provide nutritional support.

Paul, 44, has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Dyslexia. He can't read or write, and gets very sore and tired legs. He also suffers from depression but is using regular physically activity to help control his disabilities.

The programme has helped Paul reach his goals by providing him with cheaper access to local gyms and Kilbirnie pool, where he trains regularly. Green Prescription support member, Louise Curtis, has worked with Paul over several months. Paul says Louise has provided guidance and encouragement to get out there and not let anything hold him back.

Paul enjoys taking part in wheelchair basketball and is currently a member of the Special Olympics Basketball team, who train together weekly. He has also been training to take part in the half marathon at Cigna Round the Bays on Sunday, 22 February. He worked as a volunteer at Cigna Round the Bays two years ago and says he would love to be able to help with the Special Olympics when they are held in Wellington in 2017.

For now, Paul lives by the philosophy "you just have to get out there and enjoy life, no matter what you've got" and someday hopes to become a personal trainer.

The national GRx programme is completely free and currently assists up to 3100 patients a year in the Wellington region. GRx looks to combat medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and/or mental illness using physical activity, sport and nutrition as a vehicle to health and wellbeing.

The team link their patients into services, sports and activities that build their community and social wellbeing as well as their health. They provide advice, support and resources, reducing barriers and enabling patients access to everything needed in the path to a healthier lifestyle. One aspect of this is the participation in various community sporting events. For the fifth consecutive year, Sport Wellington sponsored GRx patients to take part in the Cigna Round the Bays. Up from last year’s 81, this year 157 GRx patients are registered to take part in the event.

The programme has recently been in the spotlight for their work with young Wellingtonians suffering from mental illness, in an initiative that looks to combat symptoms of psychosis through physical activity.

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