Clinical and Rehabilitation Services at AECC University College is pleased to announce ‘Get Active’ – an initiative inviting the local community to access high quality health care advice and be supported to make positive changes to their lifestyle.
‘Get Active’ is funded by Active Dorset’s Together Fund and vouchers have been issued to University Hospitals Dorset, Live Well Dorset, and to Primary Care Networks.
Vouchers are available for people who might not feel comfortable in a gym environment, but who want to get fit and exercise.
The vouchers entitle the holder to a one-to-one session with Sports Rehabilitator at AECC University College, Letitia Rutherford, who will create a personalised exercise programme for them.
This session is then followed by three sessions in the University College’s Integrated Rehabilitation Centre, each lasting an hour.
Letitia Rutherford explains: “These vouchers are for people who have been told they need to get fit, and they want to, but they don’t really feel confident going to a gym. The initiative is about getting active, rather than getting fit or strong at this stage.
“It’s essentially an exercise prescription, tailored to individual needs, requirements and goals. It might be someone who wants to be able to pick up their grandchildren, or get up and down the stairs more easily. Or it might be someone who would like to learn how to start running.”
Bespoke Exercise Programmes
“During the exercise sessions, I’ll be on hand to answer any questions that people have about their programme. I can also make any changes as needed and we can discuss any aspect of the session.
“We can talk about how they might continue with exercise: do they want to join low-cost community fitness activities, such as running clubs or walking groups? They also have the option of coming to our classes here at the Integrated Rehabilitation Centre, or to do some one-to-one rehabilitation, or they might like support joining a gym.”
Accessing Get Active
“If people feel they meet the requirements, we invite them to see their GP and get a voucher.
“Seeing people reach their goals is what motivates me, especially as those goals can change people’s lives.
“It might be getting someone back to work when they have really struggled to get there, or helping them to be able to play with their grandchildren. It’s finding different ways to motivate people and setting smaller goals on the way to reaching a bigger one: like walking to the shops in stages before getting there in one go.
“It could be something like getting back to bowls: that’s their social life for some people and it’s not just getting exercise, it’s meeting people and doing something fun and active.”
Together Fund
The Active Dorset Together Fund, previously named Tackling Inequalities Fund (TIF), was set up in April 2020 as part of Sport England's support package to help the sport and physical activity sector through the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.
The Together Fund was created to try and help reduce the negative impact on activity levels within under-represented lower socio-economic groups.