Feb 13, 2024 | ActivLives, ActivSports
A New Age Kurling Competition is being hosted in Ipswich by ActivLives on Tuesday 19th March, 10am-2pm at Gainsborough Sports Centre, Brazier’s Wood Road, IP3 0SP.
New Age Kurling is an adapted version of the Olympic sport, Curling. Whether you have played New Age Kurling or not- this competition is open to anyone who would like to attend. If you are keen about Kurling or just curious about Kurling, we welcome you to come along and take part in the fun.
This event is accessible to all, but please could we ask if you have a particular requirement or a physical disability, to let us know so we can be sure to accommodate. New Age Kurling can be played while seated in a chair or wheelchair.
There will be an entry fee of £5 which can be paid on the day in cash or by cheque.
To enter this event or if have any queries please contact me via email frazier@activlives.org.uk or contact our office (01473 345 350). Or alternatively, you can submit your name for entry to our Session Leaders (Mike, Jo, Ally, Evie) who will pass your details on to myself.
Jun 17, 2019 | ActivLives, ActivSports
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.”
Apr 2, 2019 | ActivSports
Special Olympics Suffolk badminton players enjoyed a very successful trip to the West Midlands recently when they competed in the Special Olympics Regional Tournament held in Cannock, Staffordshire.
The Suffolk team, consisting of 12 local players, played with, and competed against, players from 10 other Special Olympics clubs from across the country from as far afield as Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Exeter, Wigan, Worcester and Shropshire. The Suffolk medal tally included 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze.
“Our team performed brilliantly”, said Mike McCarthy, Coach with Special Olympics Suffolk and ActivLives. “We are very proud of our players who all played up to, and in many cases beyond, their rankings. In addition to being very competitive, our players show a great attitude of support for each other and sportsmanship towards their opponents. They really are a privilege to work with”.
Special Olympics is sport for athletes with learning disabilities, and is relatively new to Suffolk, having only been established in our county as recently as 2014.
In addition to badminton, Special Olympics Suffolk also competes in athletics and gymnastics and is planning to add boccia and football to the list before the end of this year.
If you would like to find out more about Special Olympics opportunities in Suffolk, information can be found on the website at www.specialolympicssuffolk.org, by emailing mike@activlives.org.uk or by telephoning on 01473 345350
Oct 22, 2018 | ActivSports
The ‘Everyday Activ Ipswich’ initiative, run by ActivLives and supported by Ipswich Borough Council, is aimed at getting more of us active and it seems to be working!
Kurling is just one of the many inclusive sports activities on the ‘Everyday Activ’ programme!
“We already have a variety of activities on our weekly programme including walking football, boccia, new age kurling, ping pong, badminton and yoga”, said Mike McCarthy, from ActivLives. “The sessions are very sociable and great fun, that’s the whole point really, it’s the social element that keeps people coming back! Most, although not all, of the participants on the programme are over the age of 55, some are into their 70’s and 80’s. It really is brilliant to see.”
The new sessions, which will all be starting in November in Ipswich, include a new kurling group, an additional yoga class for beginners and an exercise class with a difference.
If you would like to find out more about the ‘Everyday Activ’ programme and how you can get involved, please contact ActivLives on 01473 345350, email mike@activlives.org.uk or visit the website at www.activlives.org.uk
Oct 12, 2018 | ActivSports
The 40 participants competed in a variety of adapted sports including kurling, boccia, badminton, short-mat bowls, petanque, short tennis and table tennis. “By ‘adapted sports’ we mean sports, or versions of sports, that have been changed to make them more accessible to a wider range of people”, explained Mike McCarthy, Everyday Activ-Ipswich Project Manager. “The ActivLives ‘Everyday Activ’ programme, is all about making it possible for more people to get involved in sport and physical activity, even those who think that sport isn’t for them.”
“The Games have been a great success, with a lovely atmosphere created by the participants, who really got into the spirit of things.”
ActivLives would like to thank all of the participants and particularly the great volunteers who helped to make this event happen.
The Everyday Activ-Ipswich initiative is an ActivLives programme which is a partnership with Ipswich Borough Council. New sessions are about to be added to the autumn programme including kurling, yoga and low impact exercise and games.
If you would like to find out more about the Everyday Activ sessions and how to get involved, please contact ActivLives on 01473 345350 or email at mike@activlives.org.uk
