March 4, 2019

Inglewood Care Home, a County Council run care home in Wigton was chosen as one of ten projects funded by the Lace Up programme a 1 year pilot project funded by Sport England and managed by ACRE. Inglewoods 'Living Life to the Full' project was supported by a £9,000 grant by Cumbria ACT as the local lead for Lace Up in Cumbria. 

The Lace Up programme focusses support on projects which engage people from lower socio economic groups, women, over 55’s and disabled people – those who are traditionally less likely to participate in sporting activity. The grant programme supports community projects encouraging people to be more physically active and we were delighted to be able to assist the residents group to develop their project and submit a grant application.

Care home manager Audrey McKay, attended our 'Thought Leadership' Event in February 2018 looking for ways to support the residents group to increase physical activities at the home and then the opportunity for the Lace Up programme came along. 

Their research with customers showed that Bowls was the most popular activity, so the group have been making visits to Wigton Bowls Club supported by the funding. To ensure the project was sustainable and their residents could be #foreveractive, activity sessions have also been planned at the day centre which is attended by residents and other older people in the community. For this to happen training was key - if the staff in the care home were trained to deliver the activity, physical activity could be embedded as a daily part of life at the care home.

 (Image: Richard Metcalf training staff)

Richard Metcalf, our lead on workforce has been out and about training the staff in Inglewood, Park Lodge in Aspatria and Parkside Care Home in Maryport to help them all deliver safe and enjoyable activity. 

Barbara one of the staff at Inglewood said: “It’s all about knowing what we can do with the equipment to make it interesting and safe for older frail people to participate and have fun”

Audrey McKay, Care Home Manager at Inglewood said "Richard’s contribution to training our staff has been well  received, even our amenity fund member Christine Wallace visited to find out more about the activities including finding out about the benefits of exercise and keeping mobile which benefits individuals health and well-being both physically & emotionally. It’s never too late to start a new hobby or rekindle an old one!"

Local Bus company John & Lindsey Blair have now given the care home special rates for the Wednesday outings to the bowling club and also sponsored the Bowling team with badges which everyone wears with pride. So long may the new found activity and partnership between the two continue. 

Other projects funded by Lace Up include: 

• Together We - Based in Workington, delivering women’s exercise and well being sessions in village halls across west Cumbria
• iCan be active - Based in Carlisle, delivering rebounding session for multi generational groups in village halls across north Cumbria.
• Be Inspired, Kayaking for All - Delivering community canoeing try it sessions on rivers in South Lakeland.
• Outdoor Therapy, South Lakeland Mind - Delivering conversation and counselling walks, for people’s mental and physical health.
• Kirksanton Community Hub - Delivering Yoga and fixed wheel cycling in their newly renovated village hall in west Cumbria.
• Fit for All, Eden - Delivering chair based, gentle exercise for frail and vulnerable older people within three rural communities.
• Arnside Adult Sailing - Delivering daytime sailing experiences and instruction sessions for early retired people
• Cycling for all, South Lakeland - Delivering accessible bicycling experiences in rural communities.
• Getting Active in Your Village Hall - An ACT project to support up to eight village halls to trial new activities

Read more about the project in Cumbria ACT's latest newsletter.