The Active Age Programme is a series of activities providing people over the age of 50 in Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk the opportunity to improve their physical and mental fitness.
A recent study has shown that the Moreton Hall area of Bury St Edmunds (right where the Active Age Centre is located) has the highest life expectancy in the UK (mid 90s) however it is only by living a healthy lifestyle that you will be able to reach that ripe age. Here's why:
As we get older our life naturally starts to slow down, as does our metabolism (the rate at which our body processes the food that we eat.) It is therefore important that we keep our bodies active to prevent Weight Gain, High Blood Pressure, and Coronary Heart Disease also to help reduce the risk of falls.
All of the activities that are run at the Active Age Centre have been chosen with the above in mind. More importantly the activities are fun! What can possibly be better than having a positive impact on your health, having fun and making new friends all at the same time?
It is an unfortunate fact of life that many people experience a form of dementia. Research evidence increasingly suggests that there are strong links between a healthy heart and a healthy brain. This doesn't mean that if you do a degree in later life you are guaranteed to avoid dementia, but keeping active can help.
As we get older it can become more difficult to get out without assistance, and we can become isolated from friends and family. If we are feeling low, getting out or having contact with others can make a big difference.
We aim to provide people with both social contact and a way of keeping active at the Active Age Centre.
Activities are broad ranging but come under three main categories: Exercise, Learning New Skills, Arts and Crafts (including social activities.) We also offer informational sessions/talks.
Please see our timetable for our current programme. We intend to develop other activities in addition such as:
In addition to all the above we hope to develop other services such as complementary therapies such as massage, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, etc.
Numbers are limited so it is important that you book your place in advance by contacting reception at the centre. Telephone 01284 757740 or you can email us on mail@saxonhouse.barrier..org. Alternatively, please use the form on the Contact Us page.
If you do not have transport to the centre please contact us and we can tell you about public and community transport available. For a map and directions to the Centre, please visit the How to Find Us page.
Over the coming months we hope to develop our activities in local village halls, schools and community centres around West Suffolk. This will allow people who do not live close to Bury St Edmunds to take part in our activities. Please keep an eye on the Current Events page.
If you know of a venue that you think is ideal for us to run one of our programmes in, or you know of an area that would particularly benefit from these sorts of activities then please do let us know. We welcome your suggestions.