After a global pandemic and the rise in cost of living, bringing people together in a social environment has been a problem facing many communities. However, Epping Forest District have been funded by Active Essex through the Find Your Active Small Grants project, powered by the London Marathon Foundation, following RideLondon-Essex 2022, to start a new project; Fit4All Older Adults.
This project involves group exercises for people over 50 and includes circuit training, core stability, boxercise, aerobics, stretching and light weight training. Exercises such as stretching have long term benefits also because it can reduce the risk of injury whilst also encouraging additional movement and activity. Each class has between 6-12 attendees and has been running since December 2022, in this time members have had the opportunity to begin from injury or an ongoing health condition. Most importantly, this has been managed in a safe environment where members can steadily rebuild their fitness and ease back into a social interaction.
During these group sessions, members have also had the opportunity to gain information on how to shop on a budget during a time when the cost of food has increased as well as the general cost of living. These skills are integral for members to try to save money whilst also maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This element of the project has been the biggest positive outcome and means the members can take away skills from these sessions and maintain this healthy mindset away from their fitness classes as it is just as important to eat healthily as it is to include exercise in a daily routine.
One member, Joe McBride, said “Since suffering a stroke in May 2022, I had struggled to find group exercise sessions which catered more for people in my age bracket. The Fit4All programme has been brilliant to help me rebuild strength and fitness in an encouraging group setting.”
Enthusiasm from the members has been praised by the project lead as they said: “I have been impressed with the continued turnouts to sessions and commitment shown to the programme.This current success of the project has encouraged us to look into extending into a Spring and Summer programme with a potential added social element of members interacting at the café on site which would be a great opportunity for additional socialising and also a chance to enjoy the nicer weather and hopefully a lot of sunshine!”
Active Essex have been happy to fund this project and hopefully will deliver more positive news regarding an extension of this project.
For more information regarding Fit4All day camps follow the link here to access their website.
