ActivIpswich celebrating being awarded almost £10,000 by National Lottery
Local charity ActivLives is celebrating being awarded almost £10,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work keeping older people active and connected in their community. ActivLives is based on Hadleigh Rd in Ipswich
and provides a wide range of preventative activities across the town and in East Suffolk to support inactive older people, become active. The funding will support existing activity, new taster sessions, a sports festival and a half day Sports Leadership course for members and volunteers to encourage more people aged 50 plus to ‘have a go’ at a wide range of inclusive sport sessions.
Everyday Activ-Ipswich now runs 14 sessions across Ipswich, attended by 200 people each week. The sessions provide a range of accessible and inclusive sports such as walking football, Boccia, New Age Kurling, Ping Pong, ActivYoga, ActivStretch, Bowls and Badminton that enable people of all abilities to take part in a sport and reduce loneliness and social isolation by providing opportunities for people to get out and about and meet and make new friends.
The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will see more people aged 50 years and over participating in inclusive sport activities and attending sessions in North West Ipswich.
ActivLives will also be working closely with the North West Ipswich Big Local Trust and other local organisations to reach and engage more older residents living in the area.
Mike McCarthy, Everyday Activ – Ipswich Manager says: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this funding which will help ActivLives to sustain, and further develop, our Everyday Activ programme in the NW area of Ipswich. The aim is to encourage more adults to get involved with ‘easy to access’ sport and physical activity and, through this, to promote increased physical and mental well-being. We are also planning to provide some Sports Leadership training to those who would like to help others to become more active in the area – it’s an exciting time for the project!”
A member said, “This is excellent news. At least while we are all here playing Kurling, we aren’t filling up the doctor’s surgeries are we? More people should come and give it a try.”