Lucan and Leixlip encouraged to take Healthy Steps!

Virtual Sl na Slinte route along Liffey path to put local Residents on the path to health.

Sl 2, an Irish Heart Foundation initiative, designed to promote exercise from within the workplace and amongst the community was launched in Lucan on Thursday the 6^th of December by Mayor Cllr Billy Gogarty.

Sl 2 complements the existing Sl na Slinte (Path to Health) which was developed in 1996 by the Irish Heart Foundation and now boasts over 150 walking routes around Ireland. Sl encourages people to walk for pleasure and good health. This second phase involves the creation of Virtual Sl routes, which provide maps of popular local routes without directional and motivational signs, which point out the time and distance to popular destinations outside the workplace; all routes and destinations can be completed in less than an hour.

South Dublin County Council and Leixlip Town Council have worked with the Irish Heart Foundation to develop a 2.2 Km (4.4km return) Virtual Sl Route along the river Liffey from Lucan to Leixlip. The route can be used in either direction, starting at the car park opposite the Maxol Garage in Lucan Village, or from behind the Fire Station in Leixlip.

Other organisations to come on board include: RTE, Independent Newspapers, Iarnrod Eireann, Hertz Ireland, Intel, Waterford IT, Dept of the Environment, the Department of Health and Children and all DART stations.

Ireland has the highest rate of death from heart disease in Europe. Every year approximately 12,000 people die from heart attack, stroke and other diseases of the circulation. This represents almost 41% of all deaths within the overall population. Physical activity reduces the risk for several chronic illnesses including heart disease.

Through Sl 2, The Irish Heart Foundation hopes to encourage the corporate and state sectors, all national, voluntary and community organisations to collaborate under the Sl flag and hearten the public to be more physically active.

Anyone interested in implementing Sli 2 in their workplace or a virtual Sl route in the community, please contact the Irish Heart Foundation on 01 6685001.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Alison Casserly, Sports & Recreation Officer South Dublin County Council 01 4149270 acasserly@sdublincoco.ie

Tanya Comber-Rait, National Coordinator, Irish Heart Foundation on 01 6685001

www.irishheart.ie