Sporting fun for colder months in Shiregreen

With the darker nights drawing in, Shiregreen residents are invited to beat the winter blues through a programme of sporting fun.

Love Sport

Sanctuary Housing has teamed up with a range of community partners to run the activities, which are aimed at all ages and abilities, and are free for people to attend.

Health and wellbeing

A series of bespoke sessions focused on improving the general health and wellbeing of those attending will take place at two locations – Shiregreen Neighbourhood Centre and Shiregreen United Reformed Church – on Wednesdays and Fridays respectively.

Being delivered by Community Wellness Services Ltd, the programme will consist of an initial health test, followed by weekly classes covering a range of tailored physical activities including gentle circuits and badminton.

Move to music

For those residents who enjoy pulling on their dancing shoes, Zumbacize and Popsize classes – energetic exercise routines set to popular music – will be running every Tuesday at Shiregreen Neighbourhood Centre.

Football with Forge

Sanctuary has also joined forces with Forge Youth and the National Lottery to offer local teens the opportunity to take part in football training, running weekly from Monday 5 November at Concord Sports Centre.

It is hoped that the weekly classes will attract residents who have previously been inactive, with a free healthy snack and soft drink also available to all who attend.

The sessions all form part of Sanctuary’s Love Sport initiative, which is taking place in neighbourhoods around the country and aims to engage more than 2,250 residents in sport and fitness activities.

Sanctuary’s financial commitment to the five-year programme has been matched by Sport England, through National Lottery investment, to help deliver the sessions.

“Come along”

Melanie King, Sanctuary’s neighbourhood partnerships manager for Torbay, said: “As we get further into the colder months, we wanted to make sure there were still opportunities for our residents to take part in physical activities, as well as having the chance to meet new people and build up self-confidence.

“All of the sessions are free and I would encourage all local people to come along and join in the sporting fun.”

All sessions in the programme are targeted at those aged 14 and over, although residents of any age can attend.

Full details of winter sports sessions: