Intelligent Health was founded by Dr William Bird.

William has pioneered the research and promotion of physical activity, the natural environment and sustainability as a health benefit for over 15 years.

Author of several research papers which have influenced current thinking on the benefits of outdoor physical activity, William currently advises the UK Government through the Department of Health and Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) on the financial and health benefits of exercising in the natural environment.

Through his role as Strategic Health Advisor at Natural England, William created and launched the Natural Health Service in 2009. He currently Chairs the Physical Activity Alliance and is Senior Lecturer at the Peninsula Medical School

William set up the world’s first commercial Health Forecasting Unit at the UK Met Office, a system that predicts levels of hospital admissions using atmospheric variables. This work inspired and lead to the creation of the Walking the Way to Health Initiative which promotes the health benefits of group walks and William subsequently launched the Blue and Green Gyms. These three schemes alone have helped over 1 million people become active, just using their local environment.

William was presented with the Health & Social Care Innovation Award in 2006 and the Innovation Doctor of the Year Award in 1996. In 2009 he was voted by the Independent on Sunday as one of the top 100 people in the UK to make people happy!

William was appointed MBE in January 2010. He is a family GP and practices in Reading.