There was a great article in the Letchworth Comet about my project with Hertfordshire Libraries this week. You can read it here: https://www.thecomet.net/news/24288491.hertfordshire-fitness-coach-brings-programme-libraries/

My work with Hertfordshire Libraries began when I attended some slipper swap events, a reducing falls initiative, put on by the libraries. Of the people who participated, most were living on their own and suffered from minor mobility issues. All greatly appreciated the time that myself, Chris Perera (Social Care Information Librarian) and the library staff gave them.

I could see that the libraries where the central hubs of our community. The staff were caring and supportive and to me, each library felt like a safe, non-judgemental space for people to come into and be part of a community. My proposal was to build on this and create an educational wellness group to be held in Hertfordshire libraries.

My idea was to utilise the library spaces as centres of ageing positivity, running monthly groups to tackle the negative attitude towards ageing and the ageing process, reduce the risk of falling and improve overall health.

I wanted to also expand on the already existing Live Longer Better scheme. Their mantra is “knowledge is power” and libraries are a font of knowledge.

My proposal was that there would be two phases to this programme, firstly I would start these groups myself by educating the participants, showing them how to improve their mobility and health using gentle functional exercises working on joint mobility, postural stability, building confidence and body awareness. This would be done using simple techniques following an exercise guidebook. During each meeting, the participants would be given one exercise/task to practice at home. In each session the exercise would change, building a natural progression, developing function. The outcome: improving function and positive body attitude, alongside combatting loneliness through social isolation.

The second phase would be to encourage the participants themselves to become Live Longer Better Champions, using the already existing training programme run by Charlotte Bird at HSP. I could then work with the Champions and expand the programme by setting up workshops, again educating and building confidence.

Three years later and this project has finally started. It is called Move Yourself To Better Health and we are trialling it at Letchworth Library. The sessions are every second Wednesday of the month at 10.30 am. If you are interested, have a look at the book I have written to accompany the project, it is free to download on the website: https://www.molyfit.co.uk/move-yourself-to-better-health/