Residents living in Yeovil are being encouraged to sign up to Community £s, the innovative weight loss project where losing weight directly benefits the community.
The Community £s project has already successfully taken place in Milford, Westfield, Chard and Crewkerne with more than 150 people losing weight and making differences to their lifestyles.
Charlie Coward, Healthy Lifestyles Officer at South Somerset District Council explains more about the project. “Community £s offers access to a range of discounted exercise classes and opportunities for people who would benefit from losing weight. The unique part of Community £s is that by losing weight, participants are raising money to spend on healthy lifestyle initiatives in their own community. For every lb in weight lost, £1 will go towards healthy lifestyles projects in Abbey Manor, Yeovil”.
Spaces on the project are limited and residents who meet the eligibility criteria are being urged to sign up as soon as possible.
This Community £’s project is a partnership between the Healthy Lifestyles Team at South Somerset District Council, NHS Somerset and Abbey Manor Medical Practice. Adrian Lowes from Abbey Manor Medical Practice says, “We are delighted to be involved in this initiative that promotes and supports people making healthy lifestyle choices.
“Signing up to this programme couldn’t be simpler and access to the surgery for any follow up support has been arranged with our health care partners, Fresh Steps. We are also working with the Brympton Parish Council to ensure that the accumulated rewards are distributed to community led healthy lifestyle events”.
Charlie Coward, Healthy Lifestyles Officer at South Somerset District Council said, “The Community £s project provides a valuable opportunity to set up local, discounted activities which are accessible to all abilities.
“We recognise that affording exercise classes and gym memberships can be hard. The aim of Community £s is to provide more local, low cost exercise opportunities for people to take responsibility for improving their own health, whilst supporting local providers and developing community relations”.
Councillor Sylvia Seal, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at South Somerset District Council said, “Community £s has already given us the opportunity to help many people in Crewkerne, Yeovil and Chard residents to access brand new and exciting exercise opportunities to become more active, more often. I am sure many residents in Yeovil will benefit from the project”.
Places on the programme are limited and terms and conditions apply, visit the website for more information,www.southsomerset.gov.uk/communitypounds.
For more information or to join the scheme contact Charlie on 01935 462347 or email [email protected].