What's the project about?

What’s the PEAR project about?

PEAR stands for Physical Environment and Activity Relationships. Here at PEAR we have a theory that the environment that surrounds us, particularly certain features of the environment, have an impact on how and where we choose to spend our time being active outside. 

We know that there are some things that can influence how we move around our local neighbourhoods. Maybe between you and the park there is a busy road with no pedestrian crossings, so you don’t get to the park very often. Perhaps you live too far from the bus stop to be able to go in to town at the weekend on your own, so you stay in more. Or maybe the opposite is true and you live right next to the park, but some other reason stops you going there to play?

We at the PEAR Project would like to identify what these factors are for people of your age around Bristol and the South West. 

Why do we want to know?

Research suggests that these features of the environment can either get in the way of, or allow you to, be active or play with friends in your free time. 

Being active and playing with your friends is important for several reasons. Being active is important because it supports good bone growth, helps you to stay fit, protects you from things like high blood pressure and heart disease later in life, and is good for your overall mental and physical wellbeing. Playing, either on your own or with friends, is important because it allows you to be creative and helps to develop important social skills that you will use throughout your life.

If we can identify the places and the factors that YOU feel are important in YOUR local neighbourhood then we can build a picture of what is good or what could be changed nearby to make the outdoors more accessible and a more appealing place for you to go with friends and play or be active!