ActivLives isn’t just about keeping physically active, we like to keep our members mentally active too!  Whether that’s staying social with friends, talking about the ‘good-ol’-days’ or working on your coordination with seated dancing.  That’s where ‘Activ@Home’ comes in!

These activities are designed to keep you all active mentally & physically from home (and to minimise boredom!)

We devised these activities during the first lockdown in March 2020 but they have proved so popular and very useful for our ActivLives members we’ve decided to keep them on our website for people to use.

Important information – please read before you start any of the exercise / singing videos on our Website / Facebook Page

ActivLives offers health and fitness information designed for education purposes only. You should not rely on the information that ActivLives provides as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should consult a physician or healthcare professional.

The use of any information/videos/live steaming sessions provided is solely at your own risk. We assume no responsibility for injuries suffered whilst practising the exercises / singing sessions on our online video forum. We do not recommend that you do the exercises without appropriate supervision if you have a new acute injury or illness.

ActivLives is unable to risk access the environment you will exercising in and are not liable for any injuries caused by environmental factors.

You should consult your physician or other healthcare professional before starting any fitness programme. Do not start a fitness programme if your physician or healthcare provider advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or discomfort, you must stop the exercises immediately.

 Anyone using the content of our videos has automatically agreed to the terms and conditions set out in this waiver.

Safety at home:

• Please make sure there are no trip hazards in the area you are exercising in such as cables, bags, wires, pets etc….

• Make sure you have enough room / space to do the exercises without hitting or knocking over any furniture, lamps, ornaments etc

• Make sure your chair is sturdy and that you are safe on and around it at all times

• Only do what you are able to do. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or discomfort, you must stop the exercises immediately.

Aaaand Stretch – 14/04/2020

Follow along with Jo in this stretching video to help limber up.
Downloadable information sheets available below the video.

Beginners Seated Exercise – 27/03/2020

Follow along with Jo in this beginners Better Balance seated exercise.
Downloadable information sheets available below the video.

NEW!   ‘That Reminds Me’ – A Reminiscing Project

It won’t have escaped anyone’s notice that during enforced isolation we seem to be revisiting some of the “old ways” of doing things.

Reminiscing isn’t about recording historical facts. It’s about remembering stories that are personal to us, and often discovering what we have in common.  Talking about our memories and looking at the things we have kept from the past can be comfortingly nostalgic, but it may also prove useful to the generation that comes after us. Anyone who has had to clear out an older relative’s house will be familiar with the difficulty and puzzlement caused by trying to sort out random belongings and photographs without names or dates.

Each week we will introduce a different topic, introduce a few talking points and set you a fun quiz and a creative challenge. We hope at least some of it provides a welcome distraction and amusement in these peculiar times

You can join in by yourself, with a partner or across a whole family.  If you are reminiscing with someone else, even someone you know well, it is important to listen carefully to what they say. Don’t jump to conclusions – they may surprise you.

Keeping a record of what we remember can be fun.  We would invite you to start a simple scrapbook and/or memory box where you can make a note and store your special memories.  We’ll be suggesting some creative ideas about filling these as we go along.

If you are happy to share thoughts and/or photographs with a wider audience we would love you to send them in so we can post some of them up!

How to make a relaxing Water Garden

In this video, Lesley shows you how to make a water garden – something that’s equally relaxing to make as it is to admire! All it takes is a tub of some kind, some flowers, petals and leaves from your garden, and some candles!

If you make your own, be sure to upload a photo of you with your water garden and tag @ActivLives on social media. We’d love to see how creative you’ve all been!

More garden DIY videos coming soon!

Photo library

Here’s a bunch of photos that have been taken down at our gardens during lockdown – photos include volunteers working on online plant orders (while social distancing of course!), along with the plants and veg we’ve been growing to sell!

ActivSingers | Sing-a-long with Gina

Join Gina in vocals warmups and singing some classic songs in this playlist of videos made for our ActivSingers – either watch all the videos in a row below