Live Longer Better, the council's £3.50 exercise and dance classes for over-65s, won APSE's national health and wellbeing award. Here is where to join.

Winchester City Council’s exercise programme for over-65s has won a national award. Live Longer Better was named Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative at the APSE Service Awards in Liverpool on Thursday 17 September (Winchester City Council).

APSE, the Association for Public Service Excellence, runs the awards for frontline council services across the UK. Winchester was one of eight finalists in the category, alongside Durham County Council, Nottingham City Council and Watford Borough Council among others (APSE finalists list).

What the programme does

Live Longer Better runs physical activity sessions for people aged 65 and over. They take place in sheltered housing schemes, care homes and community venues. Hampshire County Council funds it and Energise Me supports it. Everyone Active and Move Momentum deliver the sessions.

The council’s figures for the programme so far:

  • more than 200 residents have taken part across the district
  • 90% said their activity levels had held steady or improved
  • more than half moved from inactive to active within six months
  • participants have ranged in age from 65 to 101

Sessions include strength and balance training, seated exercise, dance and seated yoga. The council says they are designed to cut the risk of falls and tackle loneliness as well as build fitness. Residents help shape what is offered, through workshops and coffee mornings.

Cllr Kathleen Becker, the council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities, said: “As we age, keeping active isn’t just about movement, it’s about maintaining independence, confidence and quality of life.”

The council was also shortlisted in a second category, Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative, for the climate policies in its recently adopted Local Plan. The council’s announcement reports a win in the health category only.

What it means for you

If you are over 65, or look after someone who is, the public classes are open and cost £3.50 a session. The council’s current timetable (Live Longer Better page):

Class Venue Day and time
Low-level exercise The Carroll Centre, Somers Close, Stanmore, SO22 4EJ Mondays, 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Low-level exercise The Carroll Centre, Somers Close, Stanmore, SO22 4EJ Mondays, 3pm to 4pm
Dance for Health Chesil Lodge, Chesil Street, SO23 8BX Thursdays, 11am to 12pm
Dance for Health Weeke Community Centre, Taplings Road, SO22 6HG Fridays, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Low-level exercise Wickham Community Centre Fridays, 10.30am to 11.30am

The timetable page was last updated in May, so register your interest before turning up. The contact is the council’s Health Improvement Manager, Calum Drummond, on cdrummond@winchester.gov.uk or 07980 732158.

The council says it plans to expand the programme, with a particular focus on residents on lower incomes. It is also looking for people to join a Live Longer Better “Community of Practice”, a network that supports the programme. Details are on the same page.

Wickham, where the Friday morning class runs, is about ten miles south of Winchester.

For Hampshire-wide information on healthy ageing, see the county council’s Live Longer Better pages.