A Midlands town just a 30 minute's drive from Birmingham has been named among the healthiest parts of the UK. The district of Cannock Chase, which includes the former mining town of Cannock, was ranked 15th in the national study by medical cannabis clinic Releaf.
Areas in the UK were assessed across five sub-categories and given an overall score. While Cannock Chase came 15th in the top 15 table, the district came top with its environment score of 67.89/100 and second-highest for mental health with a score of 81.44/100.
Such scores may not be a surprise given Cannock Chase is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), covering an area of 26 square-miles or 68 square-kilometres. Having access to greenery is known to boost overall health, both physically through exercise activities and mentally with peace of mind.
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The official Cannock Chase website for the AONB said: "Cannock Chase is one of England’s finest landscapes, in the heart of Staffordshire and the jewel of the West Midlands. Well known and loved for its scenery, wildlife and rich history, it offers superb walking, cycling and horse-riding in a tranquil and peaceful setting."
The healthiest UK local authorities were identified through an analysis of data from the the Office for National Statistics, the NHS, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. First place came East Cambridgeshire with an overall score of 67.76/100, followed by Waverley in Surrey with a score of 66.7/100 and West Oxfordshire with a score of 66.13/100.
Cannock Chase is made up of three towns, Cannock, Rugeley and Hednesford, alongside the large communities of Brereton and Ravenhill, Bridgtown, Heath Hayes, Norton Canes and Rawnsley. The other sub-categories in the study saw Cannock ranked lower for behaviour (52.44/100), life expectancy (43.67) and disease (44.9). Overall, Cannock Chase earned a score of 62.82/100.
Tim Kirby, managing director at Releaf, said of the findings: "The data underscores the importance of unconventional approaches to health that go beyond medical interventions and how health is not to be measured only through physical wellbeing. These top-ranking areas exemplify the union between environmental factors, individual behaviours such as smoking habits, and community support systems in fostering healthier lifestyles and prolonging life expectancy."
