Staying as active as possible is increasingly important as we get older and is proven to keep people healthier for longer, reducing falls, cardio-respiratory diseases and obesity. Keeping active might be something simple like walking to the shops or doing some gardening but another option is to join a local exercise class in Cambridgeshire.
Exercises for the elderly can be chair based, with an aim to increase mobility, aerobic fitness, strength and balance. In Cambridgeshire there are more options available, including swimming, yoga and even walking football! On this page we have sought out the best exercise classes across the county and listed them for you. If you care for someone with dementia it is also worth checking out Age Space’s list of dementia-friendly exercise groups in Cambridgeshire.
Exercise Groups Across Cambridgeshire
BeWell Cambridgeshire
This county-wide initiative aims to keep seniors active and to “Stay Stronger for Longer” with their strength and balance classes. These classes are built with the elderly in mind with a goal to build strength and balance reduce falls, and help keep elderly people independent for longer.
Their classes are also a great opportunity to get out of the house and socialise with similar people. You can find a list of the available classes in Cambridgeshire, as well as so informative videos and home workout tutorials on the BeWell Cambridgeshire Website.
Walking for Health
Walking for Health is a national scheme encouraging people from all walks of life to get outside and do some gentle exercise. The walks are short and over easy terrain, aiming to be accessible to everyone but aimed at those who are least active.
Each Walk is led by a friendly and specially trained volunteer. You can find out more and find the nearest suitable walk on the Walking for Health website.
Exercise Groups for people who have had a stroke
Exercise is known to be fundamental in achieving the maximum possible recovery following a stroke. There are some rehabilitation and Stroke Exercise Groups in Cambridgeshire that are specifically aimed at those recovering from a stroke, no matter where they are in their recovery. Follow the link above to find out more.
Exercise Groups for the Elderly in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire
Gentle Movements: Yoga
Gentle Yoga, based in Cambridge, is an independent yoga class for all ages and all mobility levels. The small, slow movements are perfect for moving the joints and helping with balance. The sessions, run by Moniek Hopman, are flexible for an individual’s mobility as exercises can be adjusted to chair-based ones if needed.
Classes meet in person on Tuesdays (1:30pm – 2:30pm) and online on Thursdays (11:30am – 12:30pm) during term time. The cost is £10.00 per session, which can work out as £7.00 per session if you pay in bulk per half term, or £5.00 for low income earners.
One-to-one sessions can also be arranged for a time that suits you, either face-to-face (in Great Shelford) or online. These can be especially beneficial for those who are recovering from an operation or injury, experience aches and pains or have limited mobility. The cost of these is £35 per session.
Contact Moniek Hopman or visit the website using the details below to find out more.
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 01223 842 478
- Visit Website
Swimming for the over 60s
Cambridge residents that are aged 60 or older can swim at any of the Greenwich Leisure Limited-managed swimming pools in the city for a reduced price.
You can find a list of GLL-managed pools on the city council website.
Cambridge United's Walking Football
Cambridgeshire FA runs Walking Football sessions to encourage older adults to continue playing the beautiful game. Walking Football is great for anyone wishing to stay active and is one of the few team games that is accessible to the elderly as a non-contact sport.
There are two available sessions in Cambridgeshire, costing £2.00:
Chatteris
- Where? Chatteris Town FC, 52-54 West Street, Chatteris, PE16 6HW
- When? Every Monday, 10:00am
March
- Where? Elm Road Sports Field, March, PE15 0BH
- When? Every Wednesday, 10:00am
To get involved and find out more information, visit the Cambridgeshire FA website or get in contact via email on:
Exercise Groups for the Elderly in East Cambridgeshire
Mature & Active Programme
To find exercise groups for seniors in East Cambridgeshire, the Mature & Active programme from the district council has collected all the leisure activities for over 50s in the area.
You can find a list of the leisure groups split by location, covering all the council’s sports and leisure centres in the district. Some of the exercises on offer include:
- Chair-based exercises
- Badminton
- Short tennis
- Carpet bowls
- Strength and balance classes
- T'ai Chi
- Swimming
- Snooker and more
Find out more by reading the East Cambridge Mature & Active Brochure here.
Exercise Groups for the Elderly in Fenland
Active Fenland and Freedom Leisure
The council leisure services in Fenland are split between Active Fenland and Freedom Leisure. You can find a full list of upcoming events and group meetings on their websites, some of which we have listed below here.
Ramblers Wellbeing Walks
The Ramblers Wellbeing Walks is a national scheme, for which Active Fenland are the local coordinators for Fenland. The Wellbeing Walks are short, friendly, and welcoming walks which allow you to get active outdoors, at your own pace but in the company of other like-minded individuals.
The walks are led by volunteer walk leaders who are always welcoming, chatty and interested in meeting new people – they are also always there to lend a hand to you, be that slowing a walk down to meet a certain pace, or just being a friendly face to chat to.
The walks last a maximum of 90 minutes, but often average around 30-40 minutes, and are set over good terrain to aid accessibility. Walks with good terrain and paths are accessible for mobility scooters, wheelchairs, and buggies. This is highlighted in the walk description.
All walks are free and everyone is welcome. For more information on the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks or to find a local walk please visit the Ramblers website.
Pre-Fit & Re-Fit Sessions
These sessions are designed to help individuals progress to build more strength, balance, flexibility to improve overall mobility later into life.
You can find more details regarding the different classes through their brochure.
- Where? Hudson Leisure Centre, Harecroft Road, Wisbech, PE13 1RL
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 07874 893316
Unlimited Swimming for the Over 75s
We would like to highlight what we feel is a great scheme for seniors, where for just £10.00 a year, members over the age of 75 can enjoy unlimited, free swimming sessions at three leisure centres across Fenland. Just sign up at any one of the participating centres to start. The centres involved are:
Exercise Groups for the Elderly in Huntingdonshire
Right Start
Right Start offers lots of different classes across the county, specifically aimed at the older generation and those needing additional support for exercise. Each class is designed and led by trained instructors who make sure the safety and medical needs of the members are met, as well as providing a fun and friendly environment to meet new people and enjoy getting active.
Types of classes include Aqua, Postural Stability, Strength & Balance and different levels of Chair-based exercises – you can find a full list on the website. The sessions cost £4.20 per session (or 10 sessions for £37.00) and are spread across venues in Alconbury Weald, Brampton, Buckden, Catworth, Hemingford, Houghton, Huntingdon, Ramsey, St. Ives, St. Neots, Warboys.
View the full list of classes, dates and times and book with Right Start using the details below.
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 01480 388 111
Exercise Groups for the Elderly in Peterborough
In Peterborough, VivaCity provides a lot of age-friendly exercise groups to enable residents to get out and get active. You can find all of these classes on the VivaCity website.
