Independent Age

Fit as a fiddle

Fit as a fiddle is Independent Age's health and wellbeing project funded by Age UK as part of the Big Lottery's Wellbeing portfolio.The project involves training and supporting volunteers to provide information and advice to older people on healthy eating, exercising and general wellbeing. Volunteers have also been supporting a variety of road shows and workshops working with local communities to encourage healthy eating and healthy lifestyles.

The project started working in Leicester and Leicestershire in 2011, with three groups of volunteers having been trained so far. We are working nationally with organisations that can support the recruitment of volunteers and people aged over 65 who may like to participate in the project. Interested organisations currently include Retirement Homes in Towcester, where we are looking to work with socially isolated adults in rural regions and the Healthy Homes Project, which is part of Liverpool Council.

Fit as a fiddle will be rolling out into many new areas this year and we are hoping to recruit and support new volunteers and participants at home by working with a variety of organisations. We will be providing wellbeing information and activities for older people in their homes and at our road shows. All volunteers involved with the project are trained over a two-day period and gain skills and appropriate resources to work on a one-to-one basis in people's homes, supporting them with health and wellbeing guidance.

Who is it for?                                     

The Independent Age project offers support for people aged over 65 who are isolated or housebound and aims to tackle social isolation. 

We offer: 

• Evidence-based information on healthy eating, exercise and wellbeing for older people                            
• A variety of resources and educational material such as newsletters and leaflets
• Excellent opportunities for volunteers to develop knowledge about healthy living
• Roadshow events
• Benefits for older people
• Improved health and wellbeing
• Management of health in older age reducing the risk of preventable conditions (diabetes etc)
• Increased physical stamina, balance and coordination reducing the risk of falls
• Social and emotional support to address issues contributing to health inequalities such as weight reduction and eating on a budget.

One of the main ways we deliver this project is by working closely with volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or would like to get involved with this project, please contact  Natalie Morris.

You can view a volunteer role profile for the fit as a fiddle project here or come along and meet the team at the 55+ and Retirement Roadshow on July 21st in The Town Hall, Kidderminster to find out all about what the project can do for you.

You can also find out more about fit as a fiddle on the Age UK website.

Smoothie Bike and FREE Raffle

The Smoothie bike team are coming along to show our visitors a very different and fun way of making a smoothie. The Team will also have a big basket of fruit on their stand which one lucky winner will take away later that day. They will be asking people to fill in a simple form as an entry into the free raffle to have a chance of winning it and the raffle draw will be at 3pm on the day of the show.

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