Winter 2017 Get Active Recognising Health and Fitness in the Staffordshire Moorlands Welcome to the 2017 Winter edition of Parkwood Community Leisure's Staffordshire Moorlands health and fitness newsletter. This newsletter is published quarterly, providing up-to-date information on activities and courses taking place within the three Staffordshire Moorlands leisure centres in your area: Biddulph Valley in Biddulph, Brough Park in Leek, and South Moorlands in Cheadle. IN THIS ISSUE: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU? WALKING FOR HEALTH AQUAZONE SWIMMING LESSONS BIDDULPH’S PARALYMPIC VISIT NEW YEAR, NEW YOU? Now we've entered a new year, millions YOUR LEISURE CENTRE CAN HELP have a health or fitness goal which of people across the country will have Regardless of your background, whether you're looking to achieve, they are able embarked upon their New Year's you've never stepped foot in a gym to help you generate the motivation resolutions, many of which will have before, or whether you're already a required to achieve it, as well as help been related to making a change to regular user, the Staffordshire Moorlands provide you with the required support. their health or fitness. leisure centres are here to help. For more information about how For some, resolutions will still be going Did you know, included in membership your local leisure centre can help strong, however, for others, for whatever within the Staffordshire Moorlands you achieve your fitness goals, ask the reason may be, they will have leisure centres are: at reception, or contact the centre already faltered or be at risk of faltering. - a free induction on the following telephone numbers: - free personalised fitness programmes Let's face it, with our busy lifestyles, - free programme reviews Biddulph Valley: 01782 515005 other commitments and previously Brough Park: 01538 373603 formed habits, sticking to a New Year's If you have a health or fitness goal, the South Moorlands: 01538 753883 resolution isn't easy! leisure centres in the Staffordshire Moorlands would love to hear about it! So, what's the secret to success? How do you stick to that New Year's fitness The tailored one-to-one service which or health resolution? the centres provide mean that if you FIND YOUR PERFECTFIT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HEALTH ASSESSMENTS? The Fitness Technology Company Each of the Staffordshire Moorlands Following the tests, the results are leisure centres is able to provide state- input into the Fitech system which of-the-art health assessments. generates an easy to follow traffic light system report, personal to the Working in partnership with Fitech, a individual. fitness technology specialist, the leisure centres in Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek Green = Good are able to carry out the assessments Amber = Need for Improvement which feature a series of health related Red = Below Average questions and tests. The report allows you to understand Did you know? The tests allow you to find out all sorts the key lifestyle issues that directly If you're an expressions member, of information about your health: affect your health and wellness whilst the state-of-the-art health Cholesterol Levels identifying potential problem areas and assessments are included as part of Blood Glucose Levels providing advice and positive change your membership! A great way to Body Mass Index - Height / Weight suggestions that will make a difference. track your progress. Blood Pressure Resting Heart Rate Body Fat Peak Flow - Lung Capacity Flexibility STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDS HEALTHWATCH The Staffordshire Moorlands leisure leisure centres has to facilitating and centres are now officially Healthwatch enhancing health and social care Staffordshire Champion Organisations. services and opportunities within the local community. Healthwatch Staffordshire is the independent consumer champion for The leisure centres in Biddulph, Cheadle health and social care in our local area, and Leek will be supporting delivered by Engaging Communities Healthwatch engagement work within Staffordshire. Their job is to champion the community whilst also being active the consumer interests of those using in representing and channeling the health and social care services across views of local people by attending local the county and give local people an meetings and liaising with like-minded opportunity to speak out about their professionals. concerns and health care priorities. Healthwatch will support the current Healthwatch Staffordshire continually range of programmes and future monitor, analyse, investigate and projects ran within the leisure centres, challenge health and social care across and will also identify ways that each of Staffordshire. By becoming a the centres can improve to better serve Healthwatch Champion, it demonstrates the elderly and the vulnerable members the commitment that each of the of the community. WALKING FOR HEALTH The Staffordshire Moorlands leisure As part of the new scheme, there will volunteers. This action is intended to centres have launched an initiative to be short walks which are suitable for act as a stepping stone into other forms get more people active by walking. beginners, as well as longer walks for of activity, also creating a pathway to those who have more experience. the more advanced walks that are The fitness facilities in Biddulph, delivered on a monthly basis. Cheadle and Leek have joined 'Walking Walks within the area, organised by for Health', England's largest network Staffordshire Moorlands District If you wish to take part in the walks, of health walks which currently has Council, have already been taking place. would like to volunteer or help, or are over 400 active schemes. These will be maintained, providing looking for further information, please more competent ramblers with contact Sports Development Manager, In England, half of all adults are not experiences of walks approximately Chris Hancock on 01538 373603 or active enough to benefit their health. 5-10 miles in duration once per month. email chris.hancock01@parkwood- This means that they are at risk of communityleisure.co.uk. developing serious illnesses, such as In addition, a new series of beginner diabetes, heart disease and cancer. and short walks will be delivered from But it doesn't have to be this way. each of the three leisure centres across The Walking for Health development the Moorlands. Such walks will be within the Staffordshire Moorlands delivered on a weekly basis and will will see the establishment of 13 create an additional 12 sessions each monthly community walks month, all of which will be delivered via throughout the district. leisure centre staff members and FEATURED ACTIVITY - SWIMMING LESSONS Swimming - whether you do it to have operated in partnership with the to ensuring that. Whatever their age or fun, to keep fit, to compete, or not very Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), ability, everyone can have fun whilst much at all, maybe once a year when on offering lessons for both children and learning to swim! holiday, it's a skill which has the adults on a group or one-to-one basis. potential to save your life. With Contact a Staffordshire Moorlands drowning still being one of the most Not only is it about learning a life skill, leisure centre today to learn how they common causes of accidental death in swimming also provides lots of health can help you and your family swim well. children, being able to swim is still as benefits, helping to keep the heart and important as ever. lungs healthy, improving strength, flexibility and posture, and increasing All three Staffordshire Moorlands stamina! leisure centres offer swimming lessons via their Aquazone swimming lessons Swimming is a life skill which everyone programme. should have the opportunity to master in their lifetime, and the Aquazone Delivered by fully qualified swimming programme within the Staffordshire teachers, the Aquazone programme is Moorlands leisure centres is dedicated OVER 55'S LEARN TO SWIM THE AQUAZONE JOURNEY An Over 55's learn to swim project is underway at Biddulph Valley Leisure AQUAZONE FOUNDATION FOUNDATION Foundation lessons focus on developing motor skills and an Centre. Running throughout January, introduction to water February, March and April, the weekly sessions are to motivate and encourage AQUAZONE STAGE 1 currently inactive individuals that are 1. Basic safety awareness aged over 55 to learn to swim. STAGE 1 2. Basic water confidence and movement skills 3. Swimming aids can be used Working with Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and AQUAZONE STAGE 2 their ACCESS funding scheme, the STAGE 2 1. Basic safe entries to the water programme involves a weekly 2. Swimming aids can be used (e.g. arm bands or floats) swimming lesson for the duration of 16 AQUAZONE STAGE 3 weeks. Up until 08/03/2017, each 1. More advanced safe entries to water participant pays just £1 per session. STAGE 3 2. Travel up to 10 metres Then, for the remaining eight weeks, 3. Rotation skills participants will be invited to pay the 4. Water safety knowledge regular price of £5.15 per lesson. Each AQUAZONE STAGE 4 participant who goes on to pay the 1. Developing an understanding of buoyancy regular price will also gain access to STAGE 4 2. R efining kicking technique 3. Swimming 10 metres using a variety of strokes free public swimming at the centre, allowing the individual to exercise AQUAZONE STAGE 5 multiple times each week outside of 1. Sculling and treading water structured sessions. STAGE 5 2. Complete rotation 3. Improving all strokes After each session, participants are welcome to stay in the leisure centre AQUAZONE STAGE 6 1. Co-ordinated breathing and socialise in the café with a STAGE 6 2. Basic rescue techniques complimentary cup of tea or coffee. 3. Swim 25m Sessions are on Wednesdays, 14:45- AQUAZONE STAGE 7 15:30, and despite the project getting 1. Linked routines using skills learnt over the past 6 stages STAGE 7 2.