When I was in my 40s, like many others, I found myself caught in a routine - driving to and from work, day in and day out. Over time, I noticed the toll it was taking on my health and wellbeing. I was less active, less energised and increasingly aware that something needed to change. So, I made a simple but transformative decision: I bought a second-hand bike and started cycling to work!
At this point in my life I was commuting to central London, combining bike and train journeys and soon found real pleasure in this part of my day.
Small change, big impact
It didn’t take long to notice the positive impact - I felt healthier, happier and more connected to the world around me. That one change encouraged me to go even further - cycling not just to work, but to visit friends, do errands or just to enjoy time outside.
One of my favourite routes took me from my office in central London, along the Thames Embankment, through the calm of Richmond Park, and on to Surbiton station where I put my bike on the train for the rest of my journey. Even in the coldest months, I found those moments of cycling a source of great joy.
It also felt good to know that my daily travel choices were now having a more positive impact on the environment as I was significantly reducing my carbon emissions.
Choosing cleaner travel
Nowadays, I’m travelling to our hospitals by bus or train. Simple, stress-free methods of travel that are significantly better for our air quality than driving my car.
Air pollution
affects our health from before our first breath to our last, with impacts on our heart, brain and lung health. It’s important we take these impacts seriously and do what we can to limit air pollution and I touch on how we’re doing this at Hampshire Hospitals below.
How we choose to travel matters, for the planet, for our own health and for our happiness. It’s never too late to start a new habit - if you can make a better choice today, you can make it tomorrow too. That thinking is reflected in one of our strategic priorities, Innovating for a Sustainable Future, which sets the direction for lots of our work to ensure we’re fit for the future and becoming a sustainable organisation.
Our commitment to cleaner air
We know that as an acute NHS Trust, we contribute significant carbon emissions into the atmosphere and are serious about reducing this. As part of our action plan, we’ve made it a priority to deliver projects that reduce our impact on the planet and encourage more climate-conscious decision-making.
This year, one of our key priorities in our annual plan is to develop our Sustainable Travel and Transport Plan, supporting staff, patients and visitors to make more environmentally friendly travel choices where they can.
We’ve also recently introduced award-winning technology at our Basingstoke and Winchester sites to help tackle air pollution which enables us to have real-time visibility into our pollution sources and initiate interventions and mitigations for the future.
All of these things are happening under our Green Plan, which is our roadmap for becoming a more sustainable organisation and meeting NHS net zero ambitions. Earlier this year, we listened carefully to feedback from staff and members of the public and will be publishing our refreshed Green Plan for 2025 and beyond later this year.
Today, on Clean Air Day, I see this as an important opportunity to reflect on how our everyday actions affect the air we all breathe. Choosing to walk, cycle, car-share or use public transport helps reduce traffic and pollution. These choices also help create healthier communities and in turn support our NHS by reducing demand caused by preventable health issues.
Taking the first step towards cleaner air
As Chair of Hampshire Hospitals, I know how important leadership is in shaping our culture and values. But this isn’t just about what we do as an organisation, it’s about what each of us can do, in our own lives, to move towards a more sustainable future.
If you're thinking about making a change, whether it’s walking more, dusting off your bike or switching one car journey a week for public transport, I encourage you to give it a try. Not just for the environment, but for your own health and wellbeing too. Clean Air Day is just one moment, but the actions we take can last a lifetime.
Martin Earwicker
Chair, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
