Free exercise, wellness and social activity sessions across Fenland this New Year

Fenland District Council has announced it will be delivering a range of free exercise, wellness and social activity sessions to help kick-start 2024.

Kickboxing, walking basketball and tea dances are some of the activities being offered via its Active Fenland scheme.

Councillor Alex Miscandlon, the council’s portfolio holder for leisure, explained why now is the perfect time to launch a scheme of this kind:“New Year is a common time for people to want to create new healthier habits,” he said, “and that couldn’t be easier with the support of Active Fenland.”

The ‘Kickboxing For Wellbeing’ sessions will be held in March for both men and women, all of whom will be invited to hang around afterwards for a drink and a natter.

The walking basketball games, which will run in Wisbech, will be aimed at inactive people or those who are keen to lose weight.

Councillor Miscandlon was keen to emphasise the sessions – most of which will be free – will be suitable for almost everyone:

“All sessions are especially welcoming and friendly and designed to be appealing to even those who face physical or emotional barriers to getting active.”

Regular attendees will be pleased to hear that the region’s ever-popular tea dances will be returning in 2024, this time offering a free half-hour dance tutorial for beginners before the main, all-ability session.

Active Fenland’s free ‘Love to Move’ sessions – which enable people with dementia to exercise while their carers relax with a hot drink – are also being extended into the New Year.

Elsewhere, free well-being ‘stretch and breathe’ and dance classes, as well as new weekend wellness walks in March and Chatteris, are also being added to the district-wide programme. Yoga, badminton, walking football, and strength and balance classes will be on hand, too.

Councillor Miscandlon believes the sessions offer something for everyone, even those who may not consider themselves to be particularly sporty or active:

“I’d urge people to take a look at the sessions on offer, find something that appeals and to give it a try,” he said, adding; “you’ll be so pleased you did.”Visit www.fenland.gov.uk/activefenlandbookingform to find out more and book sessions in advance.