Beastmode Academy tackling unhealthy lifestyles

Beastmode Academy are a newly established organisation with aims to support and contribute to the wellbeing and development of the local community from which they emerged. They set out as a fitness resource aspiring to tackle and change the prevalent health inequalities of the neighbourhood. Such challenges have been highlighted by statistics published by NHS Tower Hamlets. The research informs us that, in London, our locality has the:

• second highest heart disease premature mortality rate;
• fourth highest cancer premature mortality rate;
• fifth highest mortality rate for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

When we analyse the factors which result in such adversities, we find that 21.5% of the adults in the borough smoke; this is in comparison to 20.1% nationally. According to the research conducted by the BBC, in Tower Hamlets there are 36 fast food outlets per secondary school compared to a national average of 22. On the other hand, the physical activity in the borough is no better than the national average – barely effective when bad health habits are deeply entrenched within the community.

Since 2015, Beastmode Academy has initiated and maintained a community based physical fitness project in which they hold training sessions throughout the week. These are based in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets. The sessions focus on getting the youth off the streets and away from gang culture as well as promoting healthy living – thus reducing the inequalities and improving the community’s health statistics. Their sessions have gradually evolved in accordance with individual needs and by popular demand.

Due to a substantial increase in the number of Beastmode Academy memberships and the loyalty of the organisation to Tower Hamlets, they have quickly established themselves as a platform for charity fundraisers and youth events. In conjunction with Human Aid (UK), they raised £15,000 for Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon. Furthermore, they have raised £4,500 for orphans in Gambia, providing them with the foundations of an orphanage building; the core team of Beastmode Academy are to personally help build and complete the building in December 2016.

To find out more about Beastmode, check out their website.