Council Rolls Out Health Prevention Physical Activity Courses

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is beginning to roll out free physical activity courses to help prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and frailty. The activities are part of our ‘Community Health Prevention Project’, thanks to a successful bid to Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System for £250,000.

We will be offering two free courses across the district aiming to improve residents' health and activity levels, delivered by our One Leisure Active Lifestyles team. Located at either a leisure centre or in a community space, the programmes consist of 9 or 12 weeks of group activities including functional movement classes, healthy eating, wellbeing walks, exercise classes, adapted sports and team games. Participants in the programmes will be offered, if eligible, a membership for One Leisure to run alongside the group activities.

Active for Health Xtra

Active for Health Xtra is for adults (50 years and over) who have at least two of the additional risk factors of CVD:

• diabetes
• are a smoker
• high blood pressure
• have an unhealthy diet
• have high cholesterol
• family history of heart disease
• are from a Black, Asian or minority background
• are inactive
• drink alcohol to excess
• are overweight or obese.

Session details

Visit the Active for Health page for information on how to get involved.

Staying Active

Staying Active is for adults (55 years and over) who have at least two of the additional risk factors of frailty:

• starting to need support with activities of daily living
• are finding daily tasks more challenging
• not yet had a fall but feeling unsteady on your feet
• are developing balance problems
• are developing muscle weakness
• long term health conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis and hypotension
• adults who present for medical attention because of a fall, report recurrent falls in the past year, or have other risk factors for falls.

Session details

Visit the Staying Active page for information on how to get involved.

In addition, HDC will work with community groups, parish/town councils and charities to provide local solutions. We are inviting innovative and sustainable proposals from organisations that will prevent, or delay, frailty or cardiovascular health issues whilst holding to the principles of Do - Enable – Influence. Visit the Keeping Healthier and Stronger for Longer page for further information.

Executive Councillor for Community and Health, Cllr Ben Pitt, said: "I’m delighted to see a range of free physical activity opportunities readily available to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and frailty.

"Helping to improve the health and wellbeing of residents is a key priority for us and it’s great to have the funding available to deliver these types of activities.

"I urge any local community groups, parish/town councils and charities to get in touch with us if they would like to become a delivery partner in the prevention programme.

"Working together to support our local communities improve their health will enable us to ensure the highest possible quality of life for the people of Huntingdonshire."

Find out more about getting involved as a delivery partner.

Kit Connick, Chief Officer Partnerships & Strategy at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System, said: "As an Integrated Care System we want to help our communities stay well for longer, by preventing people from becoming seriously ill. We’re focusing on prevention now so we can reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation in the future. In doing so we can help local people to stay healthy and close to their support networks.

"That’s why we’re delighted to fund these exciting new courses for local people in Huntingdonshire. We would like to encourage anyone who is at higher risk of cardiovascular disease or frailty to take up the offer of these free wellbeing programmes."