The Project
We have used the funding to deliver four different projects to help with the inequalities and challenges faced by our BAME communities and people with long term health conditions during the COVID restrictions.
What have we learnt along the way?
With the continued changing government guidelines, we have had to adapt and each session to ensure the participants and staff are kept safe. The everchanging weather means we also have to ensure we have facilities and plans in place for the inevitable rainfall and bad weather.
Please give a brief overview of your project, how you spent your funding allocation and any other partners involved?
We have a Food & Fitness session at the Sikh Temple, working with those 60+ years of age with the attendees from the Sikh community. We are also working with families from BAME backgrounds within our Family Fitness sessions based at two local parks near primary schools. We are hosting sessions within our own building, using fitness equipment purchased through some of the funding allocation and we are hosting fitness sessions during the week for adults which have been taken up by all communities including those with underlying health conditions. The young people of Gravesham have also been working with some of our more creative arts groups, getting involved with the fitness classes hosted for them. Along with the Youth Fitness group we have contacted a young person in the community who had been hosting fitness classes during the lockdown for the community and children in his age group of 14 years and younger. He has a passion to increase his fitness knowledge and obtain qualifications within different fitness fields which we will try and support. He has shadowed the family fitness group and the Youth Fitness sessions.
I have loved my Monday nights – the exercises sessions just make me feel better about myself and I have taken the workouts with me to do at home.
Having a local family group like we do for people from all different countries has been brilliant for the children and myself – along with Chris and his games and tips around healthy eating it has been brilliant.
How will you continue to engage with your participants and encourage them to be physically active now the Tackling Inequalities funding period has ended?
We have the benefit of being part of the One You Kent team and work around Health Inequalities producing projects to keep healthy and active under the One You banner. All the adult participants will be invited onto the One You sessions that we host, and they will be able to continue working with us on nutrition, exercise and wellbeing. With the exercise equipment purchased through the funding the exercise sessions can continue in house which relieves the pressure of using a gym facility which could be restricted by COVID guidelines at any time.
The young people taking part in the Family Fit and the Youth Fitness sessions will have access and support from The Grands Youth Team and once the classes end, if there is a need for them to continue, we shall be able to continue them into the new year.
