There are a number of Exercise Referral Schemes across Kent. For further information, please contact the relevant organiser.
Healthy Lifestyles programmes
The Council is working in partnership with NHS West Kent to deliver Healthy Lifestyles Programmes:
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Action for Change - Alcohol advice service.
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Don't Sit Get Fit - Family weight managment programme, for children and their parents.
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Get Active - Low-cost exercise classes in community settings. Aerobics and Supple Strength.
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Health Trainers - Health Trainers provide one to one support to anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle. They work with you to create a personal health plan and they can provide support on various topics, including exercise, diet, smoking, alcohol, and emotional wellbeing. Support is offered, in many forms, over a 10 to 12 week period.
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Health Walks - Group walks, to improve physical and mental health.
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Postural Stability - Progressive exercise especially adapted for older people (60+) at risk of falling. A combination of sitting and standing exercises to help to keep individuals mobile, flexible, strong, and improve balance to avoid falls.
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Slimming world on referral - A free 12 week membership, weekly sessions at a Slimming World group of your choice, plus exercise session vouchers for Adult Education PAYG exercise or "Get Active" classes.
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Why Weight - A free 12 week course of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle advice, including an exercise session.
Some of these courses may require GP referral. For further information, including how to join, please contact:
Healthy Living Team
The Living Well Healthy Living Centre
St Edmunds Church Living Well
St Edmunds Road
Dartford Kent DA1 5ND
Tel: 01322 311265
Email: info@hlcdartford.co.uk
In addition to the above courses, The Living Well Healthy Living Centre has a range of other activities. For further infromation, please click here!
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Healthy Lifestyles Programmes
In partnership with NHS West Kent, the Gr@nd Healthy Living Centre offers a range of Healthy Lifestyles programmes:
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Adult weight management - 12 week course for adults with a BMI of 28 or above. This course is free and covers both nutrition and exercise.
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Don't Sit, Get Fit - 12 week family weight management programme aimed at children whose BMI is higher than normal for their age and height.
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Gentle Exercise Classes - Subsidised (£1 to £2 contribution requested) half an hour gentle exercise classes aimed primarily at older people.
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Health Walks - Free health walks for people with low fitness levels.
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Stop smoking support - A free service for anyone who wants support to stop smoking.
Some of these courses may require GP referral. For further information, including how to join, please contact:
Healthy Living Team
The Gr@nd Healthy Living Centre
1st floor Civic Centre
Gravesend
Kent DA12 1AU
Tel: 01474 320123
Email: healthyweight@gravesham.gov.uk
For an information leaflet, please click here!
Weight Management Programmes (Maidstone)
The council is working in partnership with West Kent NHS and local organisations to provide weight management courses tailored to the needs of local residents who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 or above. There will be four programmes running over the coming year:
Go For It – An acclaimed exercise and diet programme for children aged 5 to 17 years and their families. Being overweight can affect children’s health, confidence and their self-esteem. This sensitively delivered programme, is proving highly effective with both younger children, teenagers and their families. The Go For It programme is heled at Zeroth Active Zone, Boughton Lane, Loose, near Maidstone.
Weight For Life – This ten week holistic lifestyle programme for adults with a BMI of 28 or above again includes information, exercise and diet. This programme is particularly suitable for people who may not feel comfortable attending a public gym. The Weight For Life programme is heled at Zeroth Active Zone, Boughton Lane, Loose, near Maidstone.
Adult Weight Management Programme – A twelve week programme for adults who may be a bit more confident about attending a public gym, but still need a bit of extra help and support to get started. With seminars on healthy eating and lifestyles as well as regular exercise sessions, this programme is held at the Mote Park Leisure Centre, Mote Park, Willow Way, Maidstone.
Weigh For It Outreach Programme – This programme, delivered by a qualified nutritionist, is due to take place at a range of community venues around the borough, particularly in the larger villages. These are fun, sociable and informative events, also proving extremely effective at helping people to lose weight and maintain their weight loss. This programme is run from a variety of locations.
All of the programmes aim to encourage participants to become fitter and eat healthier by giving practical diet and nutritional advice, tailored exercise plans, personalised goal setting and continued support.
Some of these courses may require referral by your GP. For further details, a confidential discussion and to be signposted to the programme that best suits your needs, please contact the Community Development Team on 01622 602222.
Alternatively, please speak to your GP or another health professional, particularly if you are unsure if you would qualify for referal to the scheme
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Healthy Living Programmes
In partnership with NHS West Kent, Sevenoaks District Council offers a number of healthy living programmes.
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Why Weight - An adult weight management programme.
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Get Sorted - One to one lifestyle support (nutrition and/or exercise).
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MEND - Weight management programme for children aged 7 to 13, and their family.
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Falls prevention - Postural stability classes for older people.
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Up and Running - Beginners running group for women with depression.
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Health Walks - For people with low fitness levels.
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Over 50s Yoga - Sitting and standing gentle yoga.
Some of these courses may require referral by your GP. For further information on these courses, including how to join, please contact the Healthy Living Team:
Healthy Living Team
Sevenoaks District Council
Argyle Road
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 1HG
Tel: 01732 227000
Email: healthyliving@sevenoaks.gov.uk
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Lighter Lifestyles Weight Management Programme
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council provide a Weight Management Programme at Larkfield Leisure Centre and The Angel Centre.
To join usually requires referral by your GP. For further information on these courses, including how to join, please contact:
James Davies (Health and Fitness Manager) or Nikki Chawner (Lifestyles Referral Coordinator)
Larkfield Leisure Centre
New Hythe Lane
Larkfield, near Aylesford
Kent ME20 6RH
Tel: 01622 713224 (James) or 01622 713223 (Nikki)
Email: james.davis@tmbc.gov.uk or nikki.chawner@tmbc.gov.uk
Bradley Wilson (Health and Fitness Manager) or Kevin Humpries (Lifestyles Referral Coordinator)
The Angel Centre
Angel Lane
Tonbridge
Kent TN9 1SF
Tel: 01732 772687 (Bradley) or 01732 772686 (Kevin)
Email: bradley.watson@tmbc.gov.uk and kevin.humphries@tmbc.gov.uk
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Choose Health (Tunbridge Wells Borough Council)
MEND - Mend stands for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, and Do it. It is a free, fun course for families with children aged 7 to 13, whose weight is above the healthy range for their age and height. It runs twice weekly after school in two-hour sessions, over the course of ten weeks.
Weight For It - A free weight loss programme for adults. It is a ten week programme, run by nutritionalists, and is open to anyone over 18 years of age with a BMI of 28 or over.
Exercise referral - A ten week programme for low/medium risk adults over 18 years of age, whose medical condition can be improved by exercise. The programme is delivered at Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre and Weald Sports Centre. There is a cost of £2 per session, with the initial induction free of charge.
Health Trainers - Health Trainers provide one to one support to anyone who wants to lead a healthier lifestyle. They work with you to create a personal health plan and they can provide support on various topics, including exercise, diet, smoking, alcohol, and emotional wellbeing. Support is offered, in many forms, over a 10 to 12 week period.
Wellpoint - There is a Wellpoint machine in the Gateway in Tunbridge Wells. This free, easy to use machine measures weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), body fat percentage, blood pressure, heart rate, and hydration status. The Wellpoint machine can also track results to monitor an individual's progress over time.
For a leaflet, please click here! (PDF file.)
Some of these courses may require referral by your GP. For further information on these courses, including how to join, please contact:
Rhiannon Morgam, Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Town Hall
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN1 1RS
Tel: 01892 554245
Email: health@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
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Kent Adult Education Health Referral Scheme 2009 - 2010
Do any of these apply to you?
• Recovering from a long term illness
• Depressed, stressed or anxious
• Feeling isolated, perhaps due to bereavement, redundancy, divorce etc.
• Weight control and/or out of condition
If so, you could join the Adult Education Health Referral Scheme. Just ask your Doctor
or Health Professional to complete and sign the referral form, which can be downloaded here.
You will then be entitled to enrol on one course and pay only half of the advertised price!
We have a wide range of courses to choose from including Yoga, Dance, Tai Chi, Art,
Craft, IT, Languages and more.
When your Health Professional has signed the referral, send it to your local Adult
Education Centre.
Not all advertised courses apply so you will need to speak to a Programme Manager
who will contact you to discuss your needs and help you choose the activity you would
most benefit from.
If you would like more information on this scheme please contact your local Adult Education Centre on 0845 606 5606.
Kent Adult Education courses for over 55's
In 2009, Kent Adult Education introduced Active Living courses, designed for students aged 55+. Currently, the programme is only offered within the Health and Fitness curriculum, but they will be looking to expand into other curriculum areas in the future.
For more information about Active Living health and fitness courses with Kent Adult Education, call Michelle Bramble on 0845 606 5606, or email michelle.bramble@kent.gov.uk, or visit their Internet site.
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