Published: Thursday 14th April 2022 | 9.20am
Children and families will be in for a treat when they visit the Wimblebury Mount Wellbeing Trail. Visitors will be able to dance, listen and sing whilst exploring the woods and meeting the woodland animals!
Over the last few months, Cannock Chase Council and Inspiring healthy lifestyles have been working closely with Heath Hayes and Wimblebury Parish Council to develop an interactive Wellbeing Trail at Cannel Mount (off John Street) as part of the Cannock Chase Can programme.
The short trail follows a route which incorporates 5 wooden animal sculptures within the woodland setting.
The Team have been working with local schools, nurseries and the Council’s Sheltered Housing Scheme, Caxton Court to develop content for unique QR codes which have been assigned to each animal.
A new challenge has now been added to the Cannock Chase Can App, so users can visit the trail and scan the 6 QR codes in order to bring the animals to life. Users will score points and may also receive a reward for their efforts.
A small launch event was held this week, to mark the completion of the project. Families and children experienced the great outdoors and met the woodland animals. They also took part in a range of free activities including face painting, fairy art, singing and stories.
Dean Piper, Head of Economic Prosperity, said: “This is the first of many Cannock Chase Can wellbeing projects that are due to be rolled out across the district over the next 12 months and its great that Heath Hayes and Wimblebury Parish Council have supported the programme.
“Over 150 local children have been involved in the creation of this content as well as residents of Caxton Court. These have included storytelling workshops, dance sessions and songwriting and singalong classes.
“It is hoped this project will encourage families to have fun and explore their local area as well as improving their overall health and wellbeing and learning more about the wellness themes featured on the app.
“If you haven’t done so already - download the app for free today by visiting Google Play and the App Store and searching for ‘Cannock Chase Can’”.
Chris Derbyshire, Managing Director at Inspiring healthy lifestyles, said: “It is great to see how Cannock Chase Can is being rolled out across the district and its potential. This project will inspire children and families to visit Wimblebury Mount Wellbeing Trail at Cannel Mount and take part in the interactive challenges along the way.
"We hope this approach of involving the local community in the creation of its content, will encourage more people to download the app and take on this new challenge. Getting healthier, isn't all about going to the gym or starting a diet, why not take part in a range of challenges via the app and inspire others along the way".
Laurie Bowman, Clerk of Heath Hayes and Wimblebury Parish Council, said: “When the Council was granted a 100 year lease in 2018 they wanted to ensure that the natural beauty of the area was maintained, we hope that the community are pleased that we have been able to do this in a way that we can encourage people to enjoy the trail and our local area.”
For more information and updates about Cannock Chase Can, visit www.cannockchasecan.co.uk or our Facebook page ‘Cannock Chase Can’.