29th April 2021
Botcherby Community Centre received £7,500 from the NHS Winter Resilience Fund to support its Healthy U project.
Botcherby Community Centre’s Healthy U project has increased people’s physical wellbeing and has significantly helped to combat feelings of social isolation and mental illnesses.
The Healthy U project works in partnership with GP’s and other healthcare professionals to elevate pressures on the NHS. The centre delivers a variety of health and wellbeing activities, through a range of complimentary services, including Healthy Heart, Balance and Stability, Positive Wellbeing and general fitness classes, which were available online during lockdown. 830 people participated over the 12-week period.
Helen Fisher, Centre Manager, said: “Through consultation with our community as well as partners within the NHS, we identified the need to provide a variety of online fitness sessions that were appropriate for individuals with mild to moderate health conditions, low fitness levels and those who were shielding. We delivered an easily accessible weekly online programme via Facebook and Zoom, which consisted of four sessions per week.
“The sessions were hugely successful and proved to be a lifeline for those who took part. So much so, that we hope these will continue beyond the life of the project to benefit those who may still feel anxious and reluctant to attended classes in their traditional sense.
“The online programme has given us the opportunity to gain experience and grow in confidence, along with strengthening existing links with health professionals and our beneficiaries. We are now even more certain in our ability to deliver a quality Exercise on Referral scheme, with additional funding from Cumbria County Council.”