Groups

Groups offer the opportunity for you to meet with like minded people as you learn new skills and enjoy hobbies…

Walks: the benefits of walking range from increased fitness to strengthening bones and improving balance to reducing stress.  This group can help to improve your physical fitness. Many also enjoy the fresh air in a social activity. All our walks are between one and two miles long and are on pavement or gravel tracks. They are suitable for walkers of all abilities and we will do our best to accommodate anyone who is interested in attending.  A qualified nurse always attends the walks.

Mindfulness: can help us to focus on the present moment with the aim of reducing stress and improving quality of life, our nurses will be pleased to discuss how you can access this therapy either in a group or individually. Once you have gained the mindfulness techniques it is also possible to practice at home.

Singing: there have been several scientific and social investigations into the benefits of singing, and more especially, of singing together.

Physical benefits may be: Increased use of oxygen helps promote healthier lungs and heart; Increased strength of diaphragm; Better overall posture and balance.

Mental benefits may be: Stress and anxiety relief; Improvement in memory; Raising self-confidence; Raising seratonin levels and feelings of happiness and well-being.

Social benefits may be: Making new friends and maintaining friendships; Reducing loneliness; Moving in different circles eg. Concerts; Bringing joy to others thus helping them which, in turn, helps the singer. A sense of achievement; Learning new or forgotten skills eg. Singing in harmony, singing in a different language.

Yoga: Restorative yoga is a style of gentle yoga that does not focus on spiritual teachings but that can be used to safely balance the mind and body. Yoga has been shown to reduce stress and blood pressure, improve flexibility and lung capacity, and promote a sense of well-being. 

In this class you will do a bit of everything. From gentle stretching and strengthening to mindful breathing and relaxation. By the end of the session you will feel relaxed, energised and maybe even a few inches taller. You don’t need to be bendy, just do what you can.

The tutor is happy to discuss any questions prior to the classes starting and is usually here 10 mins before a class starts.

Its best to wear comfortable warm clothes. The sessions will be mat based.

Tai Chi: the focus is on following exercises which increase the understanding of how your body feels by moving it slowly and gently in a way which you find to be within your own comfortable limit. The exercises promote deeper breathing and a feeling of being more relaxed.

Studies have shown that it can help reduce stress, improve posture, balance and general mobility, increase muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls (www.nhs.uk).

Gardening: it’s widely believed that gardening reduces stress and improves overall health and wellbeing.  Our gardening group also invites regular guest speakers on topics of interest giving participants a chance to socialise and learn, or contribute their knowledge towards, different aspects of gardening.