Across the country, each partner in the Age UK Network delivers its own unique range of activities and services to its community – from handyperson help and computer classes, to befriending services and lunch clubs.
For many, exercise groups form a huge part of the programme, too. So as our Act Now, Age Better campaign sweeps the nation this summer, we caught up with what’s going on at just one of the local Age UKs encouraging people to move more for a better later life.
A mental and physical workout
It’s a Tuesday morning in north-east London, and Age UK Waltham Forest’s BollyFusion dance session is underway. The class is offering something unusual: a chance to merge Bollywood, ballet and contemporary dance moves together, with the aim of improving posture, coordination and balance. Its unique approach is proving a big hit.
“I’ve always been interested in dance,” says Julia, one of the attendees. “So, I’ve done lots of different classes, but this is the best one I’ve ever done. I’ve been coming to the class for nearly a year and a half now. The music’s great and I love moving in a different way – I find it really fun.”
I’ve found that the exercise hasn’t just helped my mobility – it’s helped me mentally too.
Each week’s class is led by Vanessa, a dance artist and movement specialist, whose connection to the local Asian community inspired her to set up BollyFusion several years ago. Throughout that time, she’s seen the class participants flourish.
“Some of my core group have been attending for years, and they’ve improved so much in that time,” she explains. “The classes are all about doing what’s right for the body, so moving safely is more important than performing a specific step – but even so, each of the attendees has improved and can take on more challenging movements week by week.”
For Vanessa, the mental benefits of the class are equally important, too: “It’s not just about giving the body a workout, it’s about exercising the brain as well. I create the initial routines, and then over the course of 5 or 6 weeks we’ll add new steps during each session. Sometimes I invite the class to come up with the steps themselves. It’s a lot to remember, but they rise to meet the challenge every time.”
BollyFusion isn’t the only Age UK Waltham Forest class to provide both mental and physical exercise. Walking football, Zumba, and seated yoga all help make up a varied programme of classes to boost overall wellbeing. But for retired nurse Sylvia, the local Age UK’s weekly table tennis and tai chi sessions are where she reaps a range of benefits.
“I took early retirement as I found nursing quite strenuous,” she says. “I’ve also got bad knees, so I tried out things like yoga and pilates but they were just too physical. But then I decided to go along to table tennis back in 2019, and I started tai chi a couple of months ago. I’ve found that the exercise hasn’t just helped my mobility – it’s helped me mentally too. In both tai chi and table tennis you have to concentrate on coordinating your arms and legs, so it’s an all-round workout.”
It's not competitive at all... it's just about enjoying yourself.
Low pressure, high reward
Attending the same class week in, week out can also help foster new friendships. These guaranteed opportunities to socialise have become a big draw for Sylvia, who lost her husband more than 20 years ago, even if she didn’t feel that way at first.
“When I first started table tennis, I remember thinking I might not come back. Lots of the members were really good, and it was quite intimidating,” she explains. “But I did, because I discovered that the sense of community here is amazing – everybody’s always laughing and saying hello. The socialising is very important. And actually, nobody takes it too seriously. If you lose, it’s not a big deal and I feel good when I get home after being here.”
That welcoming atmosphere is something that’s also familiar to Julia, and her experience of BollyFusion: “It’s not competitive at all. Everyone’s very friendly, and we often go for coffee at the end.
“For anyone who’s thinking of getting more active, I’d recommend finding something like this. Anyone can manage it and it’s low pressure – it’s just about enjoying yourself.”
