What we do
We promote inclusion, reduce isolation and improve health and well-being. At the majority of our users are older people. We are starting to address health needs from younger age groups and have begun our “Support and Participate” programme with an online Pilates for Pregnancy class.
We provide events, sessions and classes. Before lockdown we were doing over 140 a month. We are now back up to this level but with vast majority now online and mostly exercise classes.
Before lockdown we were doing about 50/50 music and exercise but because most of the music took place in care homes and day centres with many of the oldest, most vulnerable groups, everything stopped.
However, our exercise classes were mostly in the community in partnership with libraries and community centres and attracted the ‘younger’ old who have fewer problems going online.
We have maintained our friendships and partnerships with all the organisations we used to work with and fully expect to restart most of the classes we used to do in live settings, although we will keep a strong online presence.
We have attracted a much wider group of users since lockdown many who said they would continue to come to online classes after lockdown but wouldn’t come to live classes.
Our long-term aim is to maintain a relationship with these more isolated people and ensure we are able to continue providing them with a service.