Residents and local organisations from across Offerton are being given the opportunity to access Life Leisure’s health and wellbeing initiatives from their local community centre.
From Monday, October 17, the leisure provider will be running some of its popular adult sessions from Offerton Community Centre. This includes the “I Wish I’d Tried” programme – which aims to inspire adults to try a new activity, and SMILE – a low impact and gentle exercise programme of adaptable exercise sessions targeting older adults.
It is hoped the sessions will enable Life Leisure to pilot a new approach to providing an Active Communities programme in non-leisure based environments, engaging harder to reach residents.
The initiative will provide fun and adaptable physical exercise sessions for adults of all ages and is designed to support those with long term health conditions whilst improving both physical and mental wellbeing. Sessions will focus on chair-based exercise for older adults, low intensity exercise to music and holistic classes such as Tai Chi & Yoga, in addition to traditional sporting activities such as table tennis.
John Oxley, Interim CEO for Life Leisure said: “Supporting the local community to be more active, however they choose and wherever they choose is at the heart of what we do. We know that the least active amongst our communities can find it difficult or uncomfortable to access our facilities, and so it is essential that we develop ways of providing opportunity within the community.”
“We want to support and facilitate a more active and healthier Stockport by providing a variety of activities which can be accessed by everyone. Launching the I Wish I’d Tried & SMILE programmes in Offerton will allow us to do this and ensure that Stockport residents have opportunities to be active directly in their community.”
Life Leisure has developed this programme for local residents whilst Stockport Council carries out a review of options for future leisure provision in Offerton, in line with its Climate Action Now agenda, following the temporary closure of Life Leisure (Dialstone) after serious damage to the building due to flooding. This review will include investigating options for the use of new or existing indoor facilities. Local Councillors remain involved in this process to ensure that considerations are made quickly.
To find out more go to https://www.lifeleisure.net/