People Make Glasgow Healthier: Enjoying 'Healthy Glasgow' whilst at Conference
Blog by Helen Davidson, Sales Manager - UK, Glasgow Convention Bureau
As the Convention Bureau’s Healthy Working Lives representative, I’m really excited that we’ve launched our “People Make Glasgow Healthier” campaign. It’s such a fantastic way to harness the expertise that Glasgow attracts through its conferences, and to help our clients deliver a positive health message to the people of the city. Here at the Convention Bureau we also want to ensure that delegates attending conferences here can enjoy all that “healthy Glasgow” has to offer, so here are some of my top tips.
We know that it’s all too easy to slip into bad habits at conference; we’re generally more sedentary than usual and temptation can present itself in the form of a constant supply of unhealthy, beige snacks. This can make delegates feel sluggish and certainly isn’t conducive to engaging our brains effectively! Fortunately, most of Glasgow’s venues offer healthy lunch options, making it easy for delegates to make better choices, with some venues even offering incentives to encourage staying active during conference. In addition, our website has a handy link to help conference delegates eat well and stay active after the conference day has ended.
Thankfully, the traditional stereotypes of fried Scottish cuisine are now long outdated, and Glasgow boasts a flourishing and varied culinary scene. We were the first Scottish city to be voted “vegan capital” by Peta, and our veggie visitors (or anyone simply wishing to cut down on meat and eat more veg) can choose from a wide selection of restaurants offering a 100% plant-based menu. I love the V&V Café for light bites, and can’t wait to try new kid on the block Soul Food Kitchen, which has recently opened in the trendy Finnieston district. Many of the city’s more traditional restaurants now offer a separate vegan/vegetarian menu, so it’s never been easier to dine out here.
For fitness fanatics, Glasgow offers excellent low-cost gym, swimming and fitness facilities, and I’ve been an active member of my local gym for the past few years. Conference delegates can make use of these facilities at any one of the city’s 27 venues whilst they’re in Glasgow for a small fee. For more information visit https://glasgowclub.org
For those who like to exercise al fresco, Glasgow has some great walking, jogging and cycling routes; some of my favourite haunts are along the River Clyde near the Scottish Event Campus, or Kelvingrove Park and the River Kelvin. Here, you can unwind and de-stress after a busy day and enjoy some of the river’s fantastic wildlife in a safe environment away from the buzz of the city.
Nextbike offers low-cost bike hire throughout Glasgow, and has proved incredibly popular with citizens and visitors to the city since its introduction 5 years ago. It’s simple to use via an app, and with over 600 bikes available from stations across the city, offers a healthy way to travel. Progress is already underway to increase and improve existing cycle routes throughout Glasgow, making it easy and safe to explore the city.