Distington Club for Young People

Project Title: Get Out, Get Active (Supporting Inactive older residents)

Funding: £1700 (Phase 4: August 2022 to March 2023)

Costs included, room hire, promotional material and a Fitness Instructor

Project Outline:

Distington Club for Young People and local residents were really keen to support older adults in the village to get out and get active. Following the sustained period of isolation through the pandemic.

Whilst DCfYP usually work with young people they realised that there was a gap in provision to work with those older adults who continue to feel isolated, inactive, low mood and anxiety.

They liaised with local GP’s and the Copeland Wellness Service (NHS Social Prescribers) to help and support those with anxiety and long term health conditions, obesity had become an issue too due to the deconditioning process become increasingly inactive especially due to the times of isolation.

Fitness and activity were well below what it was prior to the Covid- 19 and they wanted to help and promote programmes to get our older people to get more involved again and help with any fears or concerns they have around working in group activities again.

They delivered a range of ways into exercise, in the chair and out, adding strength coordination, balance, mindfulness, while assessing ability and getting the heartrate raised gently. Sessions were 1 hour long, depending on the activities and fitness levels. They also added in social time too as this was important for the audiences they were trying to attract.

Their target was to engage a minimum of 20 people.