New addition Ana is looking to ‘activate’ UON

Getting the University of Northampton (UON) more active, alert or athletic will be all in a day’s work for the newest addition to Waterside.

Ana Mazuran is UON’s Physical Activity Activator, and her focus will be to create exercise and fitness activities to enable UON staff members to improve their health and wellbeing.

Her colleague Luke Callis is looking at similar initiatives aimed at students, with both hoping to extend some physical activity and exercise opportunities to the wider community.

Ana said: “I’m inspired by people feeling good and healthy, helping them understand how physical activity can help them and supporting their mental health and social wellbeing. All of this is interconnected, so to have an initiative that supports that in a workplace such as the University of Northampton – and to be a part of it – is an amazing opportunity.

“I am absolutely interested in widening our physical activity provision to people outside of the University, such as setting up a local running group. We want an approach where staff can go into the community…and the community can come to us.

“The first big thing I’ll be working on is increasing awareness of the possibilities of physical activities on campus, including the existing options staff have to cycle or walk to work and discounted membership staff have at places like Trilogy Gym.”

Ana’s role is part-funded by Public Health Northamptonshire* and her appointment aligns with the University’s Active Campus approach. The Active Campus is about creating a happier, healthier, and more active community of staff and students at UON and is part of the University’s wider Wellbeing Community initiative.

*The role supports Public Health Northamptonshire’s wider remit of raising physical activity levels to achieve improved public health amongst adult populations in the local community.