- vanessamcgeehan8
The Now Group 'Let’s Get Fit Now Programme' at the Falls Leisure Centre
Updated: Jun 20, 2022
Participants within the Transition Group have been working with the Falls Leisure Centre and the Loaf Café as part of the Let’s Get Fit Now (LGFN) programme. Launching in September 2021, the programme has grown from strength to strength and has increased our participants social interaction, inclusion, mental and physical health. LGFN was originally a three month project, however it has become so popular with both staff and participants that the NOW Group were able to expand it. We now have two groups who take part in these weekly sessions.
As part of the LGFN programme, participants learn about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating by taking part in cookery and exercise classes. Each week at the Loaf Café, participants learn how to cook different healthy meals and after preparing their food they clean up their own workspaces. This has helped to promote personal hygiene and independence. After the cooking classes, they walk to the Falls Leisure Centre where they learn about physical activity and take part in fun exercise classes.
The range of classes offered as part of the LGFN programme include Zumba, yoga, step and body pump. Team games (with Covid restrictions in place) have also been added which encourages problem solving, working as a team, social interaction and most importantly lots of fun!
Coaches George Farrell and Emma Smyth help to create an enjoyable environment where they can share their knowledge and expertise with the participants. The staff have been welcoming and friendly to all those involved with the programme. This has given participants the confidence and independence to meet the rest of their group and Community Support Officers in the main hall of the leisure centre.
Our participants have given feedback to the coaches on what they like the most about attending the Let’s Get Fit Now sessions at the Falls Leisure Centre:
Francis- ‘Doing training and my friends with me.’
Matthew A- ‘Dodgeball, running and the weights’
Matthew G- ‘I like the exercises and the games too.’
Rachel- ‘It’s good fun at the gym on a Tuesday in the Falls Leisure Centre’
The NOW Group is a social enterprise Northern Ireland that supports people with learning difficulties and autism into jobs with a future. We have developed a great relationship with the leisure centre and together they aim to support those with learning difficulties and autism in leading a healthy and independent lifestyle. For more information about our Transition Groups and how they impact our participant’s lives, get in touch with a member of our team today.