New health and social club for the over-50s opens in Hackney
A new fitness club specially designed for the borough’s older residents has opened in Britannia Leisure Centre to coincide with International Older Person’s Day.
Better Club 50+, run by Hackney Council’s leisure provider GLL, is now providing dedicated and specialised classes and activities for those aged 50 and over.
The club launched on 5 October but a day of free taster sessions, including African dance, badminton, yoga and chair-based exercise, took place at the Hyde Road venue on International Older Person’s Day, on 1 October.
Around 80 people took part throughout the afternoon which also included tasters from community campaigners Gaby’s Kitchen which educates Hackney residents about healthy eating.
What better way to celebrate older people than by opening a dedicated hub for them in the borough?
We want to make accessing sport later in life easier, not harder, which is why we’ve set up this club, offering activities at specially-reduced prices.
However, it’s much more than a fitness group, it’s also a great way for people to make friends, get out and about, and socialise with those living near them, and it follows the success of its highly-popular sister club in Kings Hall Leisure Centre, Clapton.
Sessions will run at Britannia every week on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Renae Powell, Better Club 50+ lead, said: “I really enjoyed meeting all the attendees face to face, and it was great to see so many people enjoying physical activity.”
A Better ‘Pay and Play Membership’ costs £1.85 a day and allows members to take part in all activities taking place that day.
As well as sport, Better Club 50+ groups hold social events like Christmas meals and fruit-picking, and group trips to museums and picnics, among other things.
Participants also get the opportunity to represent Hackney in the Annual Better Club Games, which sees more than 700 older people compete in eight different sports at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The United Nations’ International Older Person’s Day aims to make older people the focus of inclusion in a modern society.
Further information on the weekly programme can be found at online here: www.better.org.uk/leisure/britannia-leisure-centre or, alternatively, call: 020 7729 4485.