BH Live is a leading operator of leisure and event venues – a registered charity and social enterprise. BH Live’s vision is to create sustainable and inspiring opportunities, deliver great experiences for their communities, and improve health and well-being. One of BH Live’s main social objectives is to encourage more communities to participate in physical activity through the provision of leisure and sport facilities, activities, well-being programmes, and much more.

Members of the BH Live Active team recently received Level 4 Cancer Rehabilitation training with WRIGHT Foundation CIC to support them to deliver a fitness session for people who are living with or recovering from cancer treatment or surgery. The session was also designed to be inclusive of those who are supporting a friend or partner with cancer. The sessions are supported through funding from NHS Charities Together.

The One Step group about to go for a walk

Sessions are delivered outdoors whenever possible and are tailored towards vulnerable individuals. They are adaptable to ensure the comfort of attendees, accommodating cold and wetter weather by moving sessions indoors while still considering individual concerns, such as ensuring safe distances are kept between participants who are more susceptible to illness and infection.

The format is low impact, starting with a walk around the nearby park using walking poles.  This is followed by a circuit session, stretch and a sit down afterwards with a cuppa for a chat.  Exercising outdoors has been great for participants well-being; they love the sessions and are happy to wrap up warm over the winter months.

Although the groups are small, attendees have become very committed. Despite not knowing each other at the start, the nature of the session has fostered a supportive community. Knowing that everyone in the group have had similar experiences, at different stages of their cancer journey, they encourage each other, which gives participants confidence to try new things.

Julie (participant) trying out a hand/eye co-ordination exercise

Friendships have been formed as a result and a WhatsApp group has been set up, to allow participants to keep in touch, with some meeting up away from the sessions. Although the group is for people affected by cancer, the focus isn’t always about that, with participants talking about everything from travel to grandchildren to shopping – anything goes!

Some comments from participants include:

Carolyn doing some strength work

“The One Step class has been a lovely way to get fit and make new friends. I love my Thursday mornings” – Carolyn, participant

“This class has given me a new and positive perspective on my previous lifetime’s allergy to any physical activity! Useful, well-paced exercise, which has enabled me to progress. The class is very social, very interactive and positive.” – Janet, participant

“One Step is a friendly group of women enjoying light exercise whilst meeting others. I enjoy the time on a Thursday morning, especially when my get up and go has wandered off and I need a lift! The exercises have helped me move forward with confidence to other forms of exercise.” – Annie, participant

“One Step is an enjoyable class with a nice group. As we are all cancer patients it is relaxing and beneficial to chat things over together. The exercises are just right and enjoyable. Both instructors are always cheerful and spontaneous.” – Angela, participant

Annie showing her balancing skills

Although the funding was a one-off for a 12-week start-up, the sessions are now coming to their one-year anniversary and so, as the participants have found this to be so beneficial, BH Live have decided to continue to support the cost of running the sessions, with only a small contribution of £2.50 per session from participants.

Viv Galpin during the first ever session delivered

BH Live is proud of the progress of these groups. During the WRIGHT Foundation training, we were taught how community is everything where sessions like this are concerned. The success of the One Step programme clearly demonstrates this. Viv Galpin, Health & Wellbeing Manager for BH Live Bournemouth, said “It’s been great to have delivered these sessions and seen first-hand the benefit to the participants.

Thanks to other training courses we have attended with WRIGHT Foundation we also run additional community initiatives such as BreatheWell for people with a pulmonary condition; have been out in our local community discussing the risk of obesity and diabetes and we have recently been awarded funding to deliver classes to people with Parkinsons.”

For further information on our specialist courses and others see: https://www.wrightfoundation.com/courses_specialist.php

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