William Bird

Background

About William Bird

William is a GP who has been promoting physical activity, the natural environment and sustainability as a health benefit for 20 years. He set up Intelligent Health to get whole cities more active. This includes Beat the Street, and developing physical activity strategies for cities and countries. Behaviour change is the foundation to this renaissance in getting people active and has resulted in the rapid growth of Intelligent Health in the UK and in Europe and the US. Beat the Street has engaged over 1.4 million people representing teh most deprived communities. The evaluation after one year consistently shows that 70% of those who were inactive before the game are now active. There are also stronger communities and more access to nature. He is currently advising Public Health England and Department of Health regarding physical active training for health professionals and Green Social Prescribing respectively. William developed the Walking for Health initiative that has had over 2 million walkers and the Green Gym that uses conservation work to promote health. He has written a book "Walking for Health" two reports that link health and the environment and is a senior lecturer at the new Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth UK. He is co-editor of the Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health one of the first major textbooks o the subject. He is still an active family doctor in Reading, Berkshire and in 2021 was made an honorary professor at The University of Exeter working in the European Centre for Environment and Human Health He was awarded the MBE for services to physical activity and health in 2010. In 2015 BBC wildlife magazine voted William in the top 30 most influential conservationists in the UK. The Independent on Sunday put him in the top 100 people to make Britain happy! Specialties: Public Speaking Creating Healthy Cities Setting up initiatives Physical activity promotion NFC RFID technology Medicine