What is ActivLives?
ActivLives is a local independent charity working in Ipswich and across Suffolk to keep people active, connected and involved with their local community through accessible sports and exercise, learning new skills and volunteering opportunities.
ActivLives Latest News
Click on a post below to find out more
New fun seated exercise sessions for Kirton and surrounding villages
Local Charity ActivLives has been supported by Suffolk Community Foundation and the East of England Co-op Cares Fund to develop the ‘Keep on Moving Project’, running four 12 - week seated exercise programmes in different areas of Ipswich and East Suffolk. The first of...
Chantry Walled Garden prepare Ipswich Town Centre planters
The team at the Chantry walled garden centre have been hard at work, preparing the planters that were to be erected in Ipswich high street. The team worked tirelessly to ensure these planters were planted to the required specifications, and are extremely proud of...
Suffolk badminton players get back to competition
Above: The photo includes our Suffolk players together with members of the GB Paralympic Badminton squad, including Dan Bethell, Silver medallist from Tokyo in 2021. Eight athletes from the ActivLives/Special Olympics Suffolk group competed recently, at a new...
Our Services & Projects

ActivHubs
ActivHubs was set up to provide a fun and social way for people to keep fit and healthy, improve strength, balance and co-ordination, and while doing all of that, make some new friends in the process!

ActivGardens
ActivGardens are all about growing! Growing plants. Growing fresh healthy food. Growing yourself… your fitness, your health, your skills, your friends, your community. Get active with ActivGardens!

ActivSport
The ActivSport programme consists of sports & physical activities targeted at people who do not play regular sport. Sessions are inclusive & activities adapted to provide for a variety of people.

ActivSingers
The Keep On Rockin’ members have achieved a sustainable singing group through weekly member support, fundraising and regular performances of classic songs for everyone to enjoy!
“Meeting new friends and socialising with them and being able to help some of the others with their activities while enjoying this myself.”
“Lovely to do some proper exercise again and I feel so much looser!”
“Thoroughly enjoyable session which was very beneficial.”
Upcoming Activities
Click on an event below to find out more details

What are the benefits of Balance Classes?
These sessions are ideal if you would like to:
- Stay steady on your feet
- Improve your balance, strength and mobility
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
Schedule
- 1st Class – 09:30am-10:30am
- 2nd Class – 10:45am-11:45am
- 3rd Class – 12 noon-1.00pm
To book your place please call us on 01473 345350.

Chantry Walled Garden is a heritage walled garden in a public park, with flower borders and vegetable-growing areas, as well as extensive glasshouses as part of our plant nursery. Our base is cosy Nursery Cottage, where there is an accessible courtyard garden with raised beds for wheelchair users. The adjacent workshop has facilities for woodwork and basic construction. In this garden you can learn skills relevant to the horticultural industry as well as enjoy maintaining a garden full of history.
Every Tuesday and Thursday we hold a plant sale, where we sell plants we’ve grown in the garden to help fund the project.

Tuesday 10.30am-12.30pm
Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre
Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave, IP5 1JF
This is an outdoor session played on the lovely green in Kesgrave (with thanks to Kesgrave Community Centre and Kesgrave Bowls Club). We are not a ‘club’, as such, but we are a group of people who really enjoy a game of bowls. This is an informal session that is non-competitive. Some players bring their own bowls/woods but many use those that are provided by us, so don’t worry if you don’t have your own. The session is led by one of our experienced Activity Facilitators. We can help you with basic playing techniques and rules, so please don’t worry if you haven’t played before.
This is a very friendly, easy going session. We stop for a cuppa on the ‘veranda’ at half time. New players are very welcome, at any point throughout the summer.
£4.50 per session includes refreshments. We do not charge any membership fees.
Local bus route and off-road parking available. Current NHS Covid-19 Guidelines of Hands. Face. Space and Fresh Air are being followed at these sessions.
This session runs through the most of the summer. We play Short-Mat Bowls, indoors, at another venue throughout the rest of the year.

Better Balance Sessions
These sessions are ideal if you would like to:
- Stay steady on your feet
- Improve your balance, strength and mobility
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
Schedule
- 10.30am – 11.30am
- The Lunch Club follows the Better Balance Session at midday and can be booked for an extra £5
To book your place please call us on 01473 345350.

What are the benefits of Balance Classes?
These sessions are ideal if you would like to:
- Stay steady on your feet
- Improve your balance, strength and mobility
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
Schedule
- 1st Class – 09:30am-10:30am
- 2nd Class – 10:45am-11:45am
- 3rd Class – 12 noon-1.00pm
To book your place please call us on 01473 345350.

What are the benefits of Balance Classes?
These sessions are ideal if you would like to:
- Stay steady on your feet
- Improve your balance, strength and mobility
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
Schedule
- 1st Class – 09.30am-10:30am
- 2nd Class – 11am-12 noon
To book your place please call us on 01473 345350.

Lunch Club
Enjoy a hot homemade 2 course meal!
- Eat healthily
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
- Make friends
Prior to the lunch club, we run a Falls Prevention class:
Falls Prevention – Better Balance Classes
These sessions are ideal if you would like to:
- Stay steady on your feet
- Improve your balance, strength and mobility
- Reduce your risk of falling
- Improve confidence
- Stay independent
- Get out and meet others in a sociable environment
Schedule
- Falls prevention class: 10.30am – 11.30am
- Followed by lunch at midday (extra cost of £5)
To book your place please call us on 01473 345350.
Click on an category below to see a list of all related upcoming activities:
Download our Up-to-date Activities Programme
We have put together a list of all our activities and events for your convenience. Download it to your computer, or print it out by pressing the button below.