Kirsty Worthington

Active Nottingham’s Ken Martin Leisure Centre has become the first to achieve the Quest Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard

The centre was recognised for ensuring all demographics are welcomed and find it accessible. Getting to this stage has meant partnering with trusted local organisations, such as housing associations, primary care networks, social prescribing teams and mental health services.

The sport and physical activity team have also been working with the community to remove barriers to access through campaigns such as Get Out Get Active, This Girl Can and the Disability Sport Insight and Participation project, which invited people living with a disability to try the facility for free in exchange for honest feedback.

As well as proactively researching the demographics of our area so we can anticipate our community’s needs, we take a holistic and individualistic approach to their requirements by working with partners, such as My Sight Notts, Disability Direct and the Women’s Centre and local projects, including community-based sports groups, to directly engage with local people.

The area has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the UK, with people experiencing health challenges. Added to this, it has mixed ethnicities, a large proportion of single parent families and older people and we offer programmes and activities that truly cater for everyone.

Some of the activities include Swim for Health, a 50+ morning and line dancing classes, which attracts a diverse audience and low-intensity mental health mindfulness classes that enable customers to learn mindfulness meditation practices to help relax, reduce stress, slow down and live in the present.

David Langridge / Photo: 1fit life / Ben Ramshaw

Parkinson’s UK has worked with 1Fit Life to create specialist activity videos as part of the charity’s ongoing work to encourage people living with Parkinson’s to stay as active as possible.

Six videos have been created so far, with the intention of producing a series of 18. The films feature specialist physiotherapists, as well as people living with Parkinson’s.

The teams at 1Fit Life and Parkinson’s UK consulted with experts in progressive neurological conditions to create the high-intensity, moderate and low impact workouts, including Parkinson’s specialists, Neuro Heroes and Reach Your Peak and qualified physiotherapists.

Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s can seem like a life sentence. It’s a progressive condition and so far there is no known cure. We’re passionate about creating positive exercise content that communicates with a particular community or condition, to help make their lives better and fuller.

These videos have been intentionally designed to be relaxed and informal. We included people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the filming to make them relatable.

The videos are suitable for people with mild symptoms and those for whom the disease has progressed, as well as those with complex severe symptoms. Workouts always include modifications and seated exercise options and have been created to be positive, upbeat and tangible.

Parkinson’s UK has evidence to show that being active for two and a half hours a week or more can help manage symptoms, while members of the Parkinson’s community are increasingly reporting that physical activity – especially vigorous workouts – is helping them temporarily alleviate symptoms.

More: www.parkinsons.org.uk