Supporting older adults to stay active in rural Terrington
The delivery of accessible physical activity in rural communities can play an important role in supporting older adults to remain active and connected.
This was the approach taken at Terrington St Clement Methodist Church, where an twelve-week seated exercise programme gave local older adults the opportunity to take part in free, accessible physical activity within a familiar and trusted setting.
Making use of the Better Care Fund investment
The programme was made possible through £19,959 of Better Care Fund investment, secured by our West Norfolk Active Communities Officer, Becky Gillick, in partnership with the Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The funding supported exercise classes and one-to-one support across the area, delivered through Alive West Norfolk in the local Methodist Church and Your Health Norfolk in people’s homes.
Fantastic engagement across the classes
The programme saw strong engagement, with 173 attendances recorded over the 12-week period, including one session with 23 participants. These figures demonstrated continued interest in the sessions and the value of providing accessible activity within the local community.
‘These classes are fun and with people of similar mobility. My mobility is improving by doing the classes.’
– Participant
‘The friendship, the music, the lovely instructor Christine, who makes it all fun. A welcome outlet for my husband from the local care home.’
– Participant
The success of the seated exercise classes in Terrington has allowed the programme to continue. Funding has now been secured to support the classes until the end of the year, while work with the church is underway to explore a larger funding package that could extend delivery into 2027 and potentially 2028.
Get in touch to find out more
If you run a community group that could benefit from low-intensity exercise, but there are currently no suitable local opportunities available, we would love to hear from you.