Here’s how The Hub in Sleaford will spend £9,000 from Active Lincolnshire and Sport England on post-lockdown activities

The funding, totalling just under £9,000 has been awarded as part of the Tackling Inequalities fund and is aimed at getting individuals and communities active again following the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From mid-June, the Hub dance team is extending a video programme of Dance for Parkinson’s classes that has already enjoyed huge success since the pandemic forced in-person classes to cease last March.

The new six-video series will allow people living with Parkinson’s, their families and carers the opportunity to take part in sessions that have been demonstrated to help improve posture, strength, coordination and balance.

Despite restrictions now beginning to ease and some in-person classes taking place again, there are still benefits to running remote classes like this, Rebecca Cram, Dance Development Officer at the Hub says. “Although opportunities for real-life sessions are now beginning to re-open, many people don’t yet feel comfortable returning to a class setting and therefore we felt it was important to provide an at-home alternative so that people still had the opportunity to participate in these beneficial exercises.”

The Hub’s adult dance and disabilities group, Unify is also relaunching - open to all and specifically tailored for people aged 18 and over with a learning disability, autism, or both.

The sessions help participants become more confident through dance and movement in a safe and welcoming environment. The programme will culminate in a sharing of the work created over the coming months at the new purpose-built studio at the Hub in December.

A brand-new initiative, ‘Wonder Walks’ is also being launched, developed by an arts and nature specialist, giving training for early years support staff and volunteers to lead the walks and possibly develop their own.

The Wonder Walks will encourage participants to take part in fun family-friendly activities on routes in Sleaford and Billinghay.

Visual Arts Development Coordinator, Lucy Lumb says: “Walking activities like this have several physical health benefits and are great for our mental health too.”

Dozens of organisations and groups across the county will also benefit from this funding and will run numerous other projects and activities for people to help Lincolnshire get more active.

Details of projects and how to join in can be found on the Hub website and social media.