Mike loses nearly four stone in 12 weeks after joining an exercise programme managed by South Cambridgeshire District Council

A South Cambridgeshire resident lost almost four stone in 12 weeks when he took part in an Exercise4Fun programme managed by the District Council.

Mike Jones, 59, says exercise is now an important part of his daily routine, with the programme adding an unexpected positive outcome of making new friends.

In just three months Mike lost 3 stone 13 lb (25kg) and dropped nearly nine per cent body fat when he attended the sessions at Sawston Leisure Centre, where he tried a number of exercises including swimming, gym and archery.

His BMI went down from 31.3 to 25.9, taking him well below the obese category. He also increased his muscle mass by nearly five per cent.

“I saw the course advertised. I would never normally walk into a gym,” Mike said. “What I love is that the staff at Sawston Leisure are amazing and so welcoming. It feels like a supportive family when you attend.

“I got to try a range of different activities and feel fitter and great for losing weight. The unexpected bonus was making new friends. Working from home since lockdown means like a lot of people, I’ve fallen out of the routine of getting up and out. Now most days I go for an early morning swim. Working from home is great but it can be a bit isolating, so getting into exercise through this initiative has helped me feel connected to the world again.”

Losing weight has also been positive for his hobby of horse riding that he started during the Pandemic.

The District Council supports local people to enjoy sport, exercise and wellbeing through a wide range of initiatives which improve the physical and mental health of residents. Through various programs and grants, the Council offers a wide range of programmes including:

• Exercise4Fun
• Active and Healthy 4 Life programmes
• Wellbeing Walks
• Grants for long term health conditions and leisure centres
• Holiday sports camps in athletics and netball
• All ability schools indoor and outdoor athletics
• New age kurling
• Walking football
• Virtual wellbeing festival
• Educational activities within schools
• Community engagement talks and events

Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet member for Communities for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We are proud of the various programmes and events that we help to fund or arrange. Being healthy is more than just doing our best to not become ill. It is taking care of our complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Health is our most valuable asset and maintaining it requires proactive and informed decisions. Here at the Council we work hard to help people make those good choices through healthy eating, exercise and wellbeing. We’d encourage anyone who is interested, try the scheme and see if it works for you.”

During 2023/24 there were 11 Exercise4Fun programmes with 116 people taking part. More than six out of ten saw improvements to fitness in three months.

A total of 217 people were referred to the Active & Healthy 4 Life exercise scheme to support a range of health conditions including respiratory conditions, bone health, blood pressure, cholesterol, mental health, diabetes and cancer.

There are now eight regular Wellbeing Walks in South Cambridgeshire, and five new walk leaders were trained. Find out more: How Are You South Cambs - what is a Wellbeing Walk? - YouTube

Long Term Health Condition Grants totalling £13,000 were given to activity classes supporting long-term health conditions such as dementia, mental health, cancer, Parkinson’s, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

More than £4,600 was awarded to Leisure Centres to help train staff, purchase equipment or support costs related to starting or relaunching an activity class.

Holiday sports camps in athletics and netball saw hundreds of students get involved alongside young volunteer helpers.

More than 220 students with visual and hearing impairment, physical disability, or moderate and severe learning difficulties took part in indoor and outdoor ability plus athletics over two events.

Five community-led new age kurling groups have been set up and seven walking football sessions launched in partnership with Living Sport and ICS.

A virtual festival has been a yearly event since 2021 and in the last year it saw 150 South Cambridgeshire residents get involved with a range of online resources on topics such as physical activity, nutrition, and mental health.

The Annual Report of the Leisure Team can be viewed here.