Our exercise and social groups are based on research that demonstrates that gentle exercise improves physical wellbeing, mobility, flexibility, strength and balance. It will also improve mood, wellbeing and reduces stress as well as reducing the risk of social isolation and loneliness.
Groups will run in the following locations at the following times:
Tuesdays from 10:30am-12:00pm, Cowbridge Scout Hall, The Butts
Tuesdays from 2:30pm-4:00pm, St Augustine's Parish Hall, Penarth
Fridays from 2:30pm-4:00pm, Margaret Alexander Community Centre, Barry
What will happen when I come to the group?
You will be welcomed to the group by a member of staff and your name will be taken for our register. This is to make sure we know how many people are in group each week.
On your first time, there is nothing to pay!
After that, you will be asked to pay £6 per person for the 1.5 hour session and this includes your refreshments. If you intend to come to groups regularly, there are also standing order options which reduce the cost of each group. Please see below for more about the different payment options.
Read more about our payment options
Carers go free, if they are attending with a member.
Seating is provided for everyone and we have at least two members of staff present in each group to assist people to their chairs, if required. Gentle exercises can be performed seated or standing.
The first half hour consists of gentle exercise, and the sessions are always relaxed! You can join in as much or as little as you want to. Go at your own pace - there's no pressure!
We currently offer four different types of exercise, depending which group you attend. These are:
Move It or Lose It - some gentle aerobic activity followed by strength and balance exercises and stretches. This is led by Sarah and Lindsey and runs in Cowbridge, Penarth and Barry.
Tai Chi - a gentle, relaxing form of exercise featuring slow repeated movements designed to improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. This is led by Lindsey and runs in Penarth and Barry.
SpinPoi - a fun, playful way to exercise, by swinging and spinning poi - a ball on the end of a cord, traditionally used in the Māori culture of New Zealand. You can learn more about poi and its health benefits here. This is led by Claire in Penarth and Barry.
Strength and Balance - these sessions have been developed for us by physiotherapist Kate Whitestone and include a variety of gentle exercises. This is led by Sarah, in Barry only.
Occasionally we are joined by external guest leaders who offer different sessions and bring more diversity.
After our exercise, we have an hour of social time and a quiz. Our members love their post-exercise quiz so much that we now do it every session and have a friendly competition between groups - everyone looks forward to finding out which group got the highest score each week! Refreshments are provided by With Music In Mind, which include tea and coffee, fruit, cakes and biscuits. Most dietary requirements can be accommodated, if you let us know in advance.
All our venues have accessible toilets and hand washing facilities.
For more information or the application form for the Golden Pass scheme, please click here, or email goldenpass@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk. Please note the pass provides free sessions to our exercise groups only, and cannot be used at our singing groups.