Forever Active East Herts

This is a community programme providing exercise and activity sessions for adults aged 50+ in the district. There are a range of activities on offer in community venues, with an aim to provide gentler versions of popular sports.

Funding

The project was part-funded by Sport England's Community Sport Activation Fund, which is a Lottery funding programme aimed at providing a wide range of local-level multi-sport activities for local communities. Further funding also come from East Herts Council and East and North Herts CCG, with our partners also all offering in-kind support for the programme.

Aim and objective

To develop a community programme providing fun, exercise classes for the over 50's across East Hertfordshire.

Project managed

Project managed by Active East Herts on behalf of East Herts Council for the final year of funding.

Project timeline

The three year project was delivered between 2017 - 2019.

Project stats

Participants

Years

weekly classes

Events

Project Awards

Herfordshire Service to Sports Awards

Second place

Herts Public Health excellence awards

First place

Customers reviews

One day, I got an email from East Herts District Council about a scheme called Forever Active East Herts, which is especially for the over-50s, so I looked on their website to see what was on offer; Loads of things, it transpired! I could do everything from table tennis to tai chi and from walking netball to Zumba. Best of all - I could try the first class for free. What was I waiting for? One Thursday, found me at a church hall at an Exercise to Music class. Our lovely, friendly tutor put us through our paces, stretching our muscles and helping us to improve our balance, all to music. It was great fun and I really enjoyed myself. My classmates were of all sorts of ages and ability; some were in wheelchairs and others were younger than I. We all worked at our own level and our Tutor had a kind word for everyone. Some of the exercise we did sitting in chairs, some of it was aerobic and some was based on Tai Chi. We even played seated volleyball! I can thoroughly recommend this class and am going to try some of the other available options'

Sandra

Aged 73

'I recently reduced my working week to three days and up to now have done very little in my two spare days, apart from lying on the sofa watching the box. I have managed to accumulate large amounts of cellulite and my joints shout at me every morning as I walk downstairs; anyway, I picked myself up one Monday morning and set off to a Forever Active Tai Chi class in Sawbridgeworth. What a surprise to see so many people arriving and looking forward to the session. A mixture of both sexes and in a range of ages, I am guessing, from early 50s to late 70s. I thought to myself 'Yes, I could do this with a bit of practice and perhaps this is my first step to a fitter and more supple body'

Martin

Aged 65

Forever Active has changed my life. I have much more energy than before. From doing no exercise whatsoever I now not only do pickle ball, but also badminton, tai chi and golf.

Elizabeth