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It is 4:16 am on the 10th September 2010

Fitness

Taking exercise, or doing some form of physical activity, can be an enjoyable way to spend your leisure time, as well as being of great benefit to your health.

The activities described in this section are ways of keeping physically active that will also get you out and about, giving you the opportunity to meet new people.

You can find out more about the health benefits of taking exercise in our section on Keeping physically active, or read about the Active Ageing programme.

It may be worthwhile getting the Newcastle Leisure card LeisurePlus, which is a discount card that can give you savings at a wide range of leisure and sports facilities in Newcastle. LeisurePlus is available to anyone who lives or works in Newcastle and there are no restrictions on when you can use it. To find out more, contact the LeisurePlus Centre using the details given below, or visit the Newcastle City Council website.

Chair-based exercises

You don’t have to move around much to take some kind of exercise. There are exercises that you can do while sitting down, or while standing up and holding on to a chair to help you.

Chair-based exercise classes tend to be held in the community, for example in community centres, sheltered housing complexes and churches. The following are some examples of places in Newcastle where classes are currently taking place:

Croquet

If you have enjoyed competitive sport in the past but now find games like tennis too physically taxing, croquet could be the game for you.

There are many health benefits for older players; including gentle physical exercise, intellectual stimulation and warm sociability. It can also be played competitively or purely for pleasure.

Tyneside Croquet Club actively encourages new members. You can go along to try the game out at venues such as the old bowling greens in Exhibition Park and Nuns Moor Park. For more details, contact Bill Hill on telephone number 0191 266 2928, by email at billhill1@blueyonder.co.uk, or visit the website.

Cycling

You can cycle by yourself or as with others as part of a group. As a group exercise, cycling encourages team building and leadership skills.

For ideas on where to cycle, pick up a free Tyneside Cycling Map or the booklet Cycling Northumbria from your local tourist information centre.

Cycle Trex provides organised cycling, from short sessions to full days, to promote and improve physical and mental health. They work with individuals of all age groups from 10 to 70 years old plus; providing organised sessions to meet the requirements of each client or group. Bike rides are conducted by a qualified leader and they provide all necessary equipment, such as bikes, helmets, gloves and water bottles. For more information, contact Cycle Trex using the details below.

The East End Cycling Group currently meets on Thursday mornings at 9.30am at East End Pool in Byker. This is a mixed ability group and new members are always welcome. If you don't have your own bike, you can hire one (and a helmet) from East End Pool for £2.50. For more information, or if you want to learn how to ride a bike for free, contact Paul Cooper on telephone number 0191 278 8432.

Recyke y' bike is a community project that accepts donated bikes from members of the public and recycles them for use by groups of people, such as the long-term unemployed, those who have been homeless, and those with mental health problems. If you have a bike that you haven't used for a while you could donate it to Recyke y'bike, or you could go to one of their workshops to learn how to fix it yourself. They also sell the refurbished bikes (and bits for bikes) at a low cost. For more information, contact them using the details below, or visit their website.

Dancing

Anyone can enjoy dancing, regardless of age, shape, size, or whether or not you have danced before. Usually, you don’t need any special equipment to be able to dance. You can dance as part of a group, or alone, and in a variety of places. The social side of dancing reduces isolation and helps you to build your confidence and self-esteem.

Age Concern Newcastle hold several different dance classes as part of their Healthy Living Centre programme. Classes currently include: beginners tap dancing, line dancing, salsa and latin american dancing, and sequence dancing. To find out more, contact them using the details given below, or read their programme to find out when classes are held.

Dance City is the National Dance Agency for the North East of England and is based in Newcastle. They have a programme of dance classes, as well as running workshops and holding performances that you can go and watch. To find out more, contact Dance City using the details given below, or visit their website.

Newcastle Dance Centre also has a programme of dance classes for all ages and abilities; whether you are a beginner, an accomplished professional, or just seeking extra enjoyment from dancing. To find out more, contact them using the details given below or visit their website.

Green Gym

The Green Gym is a health project for adults who lead inactive lifestyles, experience isolation and mental or physical health problems. Each person who takes part can gain in fitness, health and well-being. New skills can be learnt, new friends made and new interests discovered.

The Green Gym brings local people together to 'work out' in their local communities, through activities such as litter picking, woodland management and hedge pruning. Training and support is available to all members of the group so they can develop their skills and confidence. For more information contact Alene Jauncey at Groundwork using the details below.

New Age Kurling

New Age Kurling is a form of curling that can be played on any flat indoor surface. It is accessible, fun and can be played by people of all abilities, including wheelchair users. The Search Project is currently running New Age Kurling sessions at the Dolphin Street Community Centre in Benwell on Monday afternoons. To find out more, contact the Search Project using the details given below or visit the website.

Pilates

Pilates combines western and eastern philosophies; teaching body awareness and breathing techniques, as well as promoting strength, flexibility, balance and co-ordination.

There is currently no nationally recognised training structure for Pilates teachers. Body Control Pilates has a network of more than 750 qualified teachers who work to a strict Code of Practice governing their teaching standards and professional ethics. You can look for your nearest qualified teacher on their website, or contact them using the details below for further information.

Rookie Golf

Rookie Golf is suitable for everyone, including older poeple and people with sensory impairments. It's a great way to meet new people and to get some gentle exercise. If you've played before there are regular sessions running at various venues in Walker.

For further information about Rookie Golf, contact Janet Howe at CSV on 07901 557 909

Swimming

You can find out about activities or classes at your local swimming pool or leisure centre in our Leisure centres and swimming pools section.

As part of the measures to tackle to budget deficit, the Government has announced an end to its support for the Free Swimming Programme. It will no longer provide funding to local councils to provide free swimming for under 16s and the over 60s. However, Newcastle City Council has stepped in to ensure that free swimming sessions can continue in swimming pools across the city, despite this loss of government grant.

A new programme of free swimming sessions for the under 18’s and over 60’s will be available at all city council managed pools – the East End pool, Elswick pool, the City pool, Outer west pool and Gosforth pool.

In addition, parents and grandparents who accompany their children to the Fusion swimming sessions will also be able to swim for free as part of the new scheme.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi originates from China and is a form of martial art which gently exercises the body, strengthens muscles, increases flexibility and improves balance. It is a great way of relaxing the mind and body, helping to combat the stresses and strains of life.

The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain is an association of practitioners of recognised styles of Tai Chi Chuan. It includes a national list of over 400 registered instructors throughout Great Britain. You can look for your nearest registered instructor on their website.

Age Concern Newcastle hold a Tai Chi class as part of their Healthy Living Centre programme. Contact them using the details below, or read their programme to find out when classes are held.

You could also contact the East End Physical Activity Co-ordinator, Rosie Milne, on telephone number 0191 278 8555 for information on tai chi sessions in the east end area of Newcastle.

Walking

Walking is an ideal way to get some fresh air. You can walk by yourself, or you can join others on an organised walk.

There are many organisations and people in Newcastle that provide support for walking activities, some of which are mentioned below.

Carers Rambling Group

Newcastle's Carers Rambling Group meets on a monthly basis to do gentle, low-level walks of approximately 3 to 5 miles in countryside and coastal areas surrounding Newcastle. All carers are welcome to join the group and the walks, including transport, are free. To find out more, contact Gill Foster, Carer Support Nurse Specialist, on telephone number 0191 223 2368.

East End Walking Group

The East End Walking Group goes on several gentle walks each week, in the local area and further afield. They also meet up once a week at Margaret Collins House in Walker to discuss their future programmes. To find out more, contact Sue Bolam, Sheltered Housing Officer, on telephone number 0191 265 0546.

Newcastle Association of City Guides

The Newcastle Association of City Guides take people on guided tours around landmarks in Newcastle. You can join them on a range of public walking tours from May to September. All of the guides are trained volunteers. Ask at the Newcastle Information Centres in Central Arcade, Market Street and Guildhall, Quayside for further information.

There are also a number of Green Badge Guides who are self-employed accredited tour guides who have completed a long course in all aspects of tourist guiding. They are able to research and customise tours for everyone from conference visitors to local community groups. To find out more, see the Newcastle City Council website, or call telephone number 0191 277 8003.

Newcastle CHA & HF Rambling Club

Newcastle CHA & HF Rambling Club has been around since 1902 and provides 3 led walks a week on a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Walk lengths are between 6 and 11 miles and cover areas such as North Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumberland. They also organise weekends away to places like Keswick, Scarborough and Penrith. Membership is £7 per year but you can participate in 4 walks before deciding whether or not to join. For more information, contact Pauline Hawdon, General Secretary, on 0191 2668326.

Newcastle Ranger Service

Newcastle’s Ranger Service provides details of a number of self-led walks on countryside sites in Newcastle. Locations vary from areas of ancient woodland to country parks developed on reclaimed land. Ranger-led walks are also available by request. You can find out more about the service using the contact details below. You can find out about the Ranger Service on the Newcastle City Council website.

Ouseburn Trust

Ouseburn Trust have developed several heritage walks around the Ouseburn Valley. They also have a programme of organised walks and talks. To find out more, contact the group using the details given below, or visit the Ouseburn Trust website. They also have a mailing list that you can join by sending an email to the address given below.

Search Project

The Search Project organises several different walking groups, which are described below.

Easywalks are short walks for people who would like to start getting some gentle exercise, but who can't walk for more than 20 to 30 minutes and need to walk at a gentle pace. This walking group meets on a weekly basis.

WonderWALKS is a walking group for people aged 50 years old and over who love walking. They do short health walks that are led by a walk-leader. The walks currently take place every Monday afternoon at locations in and around Newcastle. Transport is provided from and back to the Search Project.

On Your Own are a series of walks in and around the west end of Newcastle. You can get a pack which gives details of these walks, so that you can try them out on your own or with friends. If you would prefer to try them out with others, a walk leader takes a group from the Search Project on the first Wednesday of each month.

To find out more about any of these walking groups, contact the Search Project using the details below. You can also visit the Walking Groups section of their website.

The University of the Third Age (U3A)

Newcastle’s branch of The University of the Third Age (U3A) has several walking groups, undertaking coastal strolls, nature walks and rambles. Members walk at a steady pace of about 2 miles per hour, giving plenty of time to look around and chat. For more information, contact Newcastle U3A using the details given below.

Tyneside Ramblers

The Tyneside Ramblers organise walks with coach outings on Sundays and Wednesdays throughout the year. Places need to be booked in advance to ensure a seat. There is a choice of walks on the outings which usually start from different points en route but converge to meet the coaches for the return journey. New members are welcome. For further information visit the website.

Walker Walkers

The National Trust Inner City Project organises the Walker Walkers, who are a group of people aged over 50 years old who live in the NE6 postcode area and meet to go walking in the countryside or by the sea. The group currently meets on the second Friday of the month at 10am at Byker Metro station, where they are picked up by a minibus. Members take a packed lunch as the group goes out for the day, usually returning between 4pm and 4.30pm. Each trip costs £2. For more information, call Kath on telephone number
0191 255 7610.

Physical Activity Co-ordinators

The East End Walks For All group currently meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am in the East End Pool and Library cafe in Byker. Tuesday's walks are short, local walks (about 2 or 3 miles) and are ideal for beginners and those who haven't walked for a while. Thursday's walks are slightly longer (usually between 3 and 5 miles) and are ideal for those who have walked or exercised regularly. Once a month they have a trip to places like Newburn, Wylam, Craster and Seahouses. For more information, contact the East End Physical Activity Co-ordinator, Rosie Milne, on telephone number 0191 278 8555, or by email at rosie.milne@newcastle.gov.uk.

There are three free walking groups in the north west and outer west of Newcastle. They meet at the Simonside Community Centre on Tuesdays at 10am, the Blakelaw Neighbourhood Centre on Fridays at 10am, and the Outer West Walkie Talkies meet at the Lemington Centre on Mondays one week and Fridays the next, at varying times. For more information, contact the North West Physical Activity Co-ordinator, Alan Dalgarno, on telephone number 0191 278 3184, or by email at alan.dalgarno@newcastle.gov.uk.

Yoga

Yoga originated in India and combines exercise with posture, breathing and relaxation techniques. There are many different types of yoga.

The British Wheel of Yoga is a registered charity and is the governing body for yoga in Great Britain. They have a nationwide network of over 3,000 qualified teachers and promote yoga classes to the general public. To find out more about yoga, contact The British Wheel of Yoga using the details below, or visit their website. To find a class in your local area, visit the Find a local teacher section of their website.

Other useful information

The Active Places website includes information on a wide range of sports facilities. You can use their database to search for the nearest sports and leisure facilities to you, or to find a particular organisation.

Age UK’s factsheet Leisure and Learning
Active Newcastle website

The Quality of Life Partnership's Active Ageing programme organised Senior Games Week, which was held in Newcastle in August 2006. The impetus for organising the event was to ensure that older people featured in Newcastle City Council's Year of Exercise and Sport. The week-long event offered a range of activity for older people from the most active to the more frail, and also provided a varied and interesting programme for visitors from other European cities. See the report on Senior Games Week Thank you for getting me up to dance for more information.

Information in other languages

The Sounds Healthy website has information on getting active in the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Somali, and Urdu.

Contact Information

Age Concern Newcastle
MEA House, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8XS.
Telephone : 0191 232 6488, Fax : 0191 2359925.
Email : enquiries@acnewcastle.org

Body Control Pilates
6 Langley Street, London, WC2H 9JA.
Telephone : 020 7379 3734, Fax : 020 7379 7551.
Email : info@bodycontrol.co.uk

British Wheel of Yoga
25 Jermyn Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7RU.
Telephone : 01529 306 851, Fax : 01529 303 233.
Email : office@bwy.org.uk

Cycle Trex
13 Aldin Grange Terrace, Bearpark, Durham, DH7 7AN.
Telephone : 0191 386 1557.
Email : steve@cycletrex.com

Dance City
Temple Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4BR.
Telephone : 0191 261 0505, Fax : 0191 230 0486.
Email : info@dancecity.co.uk

Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle
The Eco Centre, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, NE31 1SR.
Telephone : 0191 428 1144, Telephone Helpline : 0191 428 1155.
Email : alene.jauncey@groundwork.org.uk

Newcastle Dance Centre
36-38 Grainger Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8RY.
Telephone : 0191 273 9987, Fax : 0191 272 1037.

Newcastle Ranger Service
Millfield House, Jesmond Dene, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7BQ.
Telephone : 0191 281 0973, Fax : 0191 281 0973.

Newcastle U3A
1 Pink Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5DW.
Telephone : 0191 230 4430.
Email : newcastleu3a@hotmail.com

Ouseburn Trust
Ouseburn Resource Centre, 53 Lime Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ.
Telephone : 0191 261 6596, Fax : 0191 230 4210.
Email : info@ouseburntrust.org.uk

Recyke y'bike
Unit 2, Hannington Street, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1JT.
Telephone : 07737 526 020.

Search Project
74 Adelaide Terrace, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9JN.
Telephone : 0191 273 7443, Fax : 0191 272 5135.
Email : searchprojectuk@yahoo.co.uk

Tyne Bridge Bike Hire
The Guildhall, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3AF.
Telephone : 0191 277 2441.
Email : info@tynebridgebikehire.co.uk

Article last updated August 16, 2010 3:08 pm

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