Big Lottery Awards for All funding for Share's Happy Healthy Life project

Happy Healthy Life Project

Thanks to Big Lottery Awards for All funding, Share's Happy Healthy Life project, part of our healthy living programme, has been able to address and overcome some of the fundamental health and wellbeing issues our students face relating to hygiene, sex and relationships, stress, illness and poor physical health. As part of the project, over the past year, we have been able to provide additional yoga and relaxation classes, sports and physical activity sessions, and specialised life skills training. The yoga and relaxation classes run weekly and have always been extremely popular here at Share. Our students say that it helps them feel relaxed and that they really look forward to it each week. The sessions combine a period of quiet preparation with physical asanas practices, deep breathing and other relaxation exercises as well as discussions around handling anxiety and stress. Our students also told us they were keen to do more active sports and exercise so the funding has allowed us to run more weekly sessions with the help of Disability Sports Coach. The sessions include boccia, Zumba, keep fit classes and healthy walks around Clapham Common. Share's Healthy Living Coordinator, Jenny Bourlet, commented “It’s been great running the sports sessions with Disability Sport Coach who adapt the activities to ensure everyone can get involved. Our students really enjoy them and it’s a fun way to get fit.” Hugh Elsegood, Disability Sports Coach's Sport & Physical Activity Manager, said "All our coaches speak fondly of the sport and physical activity sessions they deliver at Share. They are met with a warm welcome and the classes are always well supported with enthusiastic participants. The standard of boccia on Mondays has improved significantly while the Friday Zumba classes provide a great workout in a really fun and inclusive environment." The Big Lottery Awards for All funding has also helped to fund additional 'Jack and Josephine' sessions to teach people about keeping healthy, positive relationships and social interaction, as well as additional sessions on specific health and wellbeing concerns such as the menopause, periods, breast cancer, other cancers, sexual health and personal care. 

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