Packs RISE physical activity levels across North Tyneside

During the pandemic, North East charity RISE was successful in sourcing funding to create and develop some at-home activity packs to offer to people who had their mobility, confidence and isolation impacted as a result of COVID-19.

RISE donated 600 packs for people in North Tyneside, which were distributed by Active North Tyneside and partners across the borough.

The packs contained simple equipment, instructions and prompts to encourage basic activity, exercise and movement from the comfort of people’s homes.

Items included were a resistance band to be used for chair exercises, a small ball for finger mobility and hand eye coordination, marbles for toe mobility, balloons for breathing exercises and a larger ball for leg exercises. There was also a tea towel included which detailed some activities which could be done in the kitchen while waiting for the kettle to boil.

One of the avenues the packs were distributed via was through North Tyneside Living, rented accommodation schemed for tenants aged 60 and over. The residents at a number of schemes were a fan of using them as a way to stay active, and when coronavirus restrictions lifted, Active North Tyneside and Housing Officers worked together to plan and deliver some classes using the packs, which now take place weekly.

The packs were also distributed via Age UK through the Bradbury Centre which offers day care services for older people and people with dementia, through First Contact Clinical which is focused on making a difference to people’s health and wellbeing with behaviour changes, via the Stroke Association through Howdon Family Gateway, through the CARE Point team at North Tyneside General Hospital, and through VODA’s Good Neighbours Scheme.