HEALTH AND EXERCISE
Exercise referral schemes enable doctors and other health professionals to refer patients or clients to their local leisure centre where a qualified exercise professional develops a specific and low cost programme of exercise for them over a 10 to 20 week period. Further information is available in the 'Activity for Health' leaflet (137kb).
Participants are encouraged to use monitored fitness machines appropriate to their level, including exercise bikes, rowers and treadmills, and receive dietary and lifestyle advice to help them make informed choices about how they can improve their health. They also receive information about activities such as keep fit, swimming, health walks and other activities that will help them to make the ongoing lifestyle changes that lead to long term health benefits.
Programmes have been operating at Broadbridge Heath and Henfield Leisure Centres for around 10 years and in the last few years, new schemes have been introduced at The Weald Recreation Centre, Billingshurst, The Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, Storrington, Southwater Leisure Centre, Steyning Leisure Centres and The Pavilions in the Park complex in Horsham.
Exercise referral programmes are specifically designed to meet the needs of people at risk from, or suffering with, coronary heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, back pain, anxiety or depression and a range of conditions linked to lengthy periods of inactivity or a sedentary lifestyle. Many of the people that join the programmes initially lack confidence and several have never participated at activities at a leisure centre in their life.
The instructors that deliver the programme are friendly and non-judgemental and are trained to work with participants who may not be naturally pre-disposed towards exercise as a means of maintaining health. At the end of 20 sessions many people continue to use the leisure centre that they are referred to, some join health walks, and others attend alternative exercise classes. Those that complete the programme don’t so much talk about how it has improved their sporting prowess but talk more broadly about how much easier they find it to get backwards and forwards to the shops, or how much better they feel about themselves in general.
For further information please contact 01403 215639 or email community.development@horsham.gov.uk