Chair-based yoga sessions for older people launch in Dacorum

The sessions aim to improve the overall wellbeing of senior members of the community and combat social isolation.

Everyone Active - Dacorum Borough Council’s leisure operator - are running the yoga sessions at Hemel Hempstead Library in collaboration with Age UK, helping to reach a demographic of leisure and non-leisure centre users to prevent social isolation in the area.

Having launched on January 11, the sessions will continue to run from 10:30am-11:30am on alternate Thursdays throughout the year.

Aiming to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of the older community, the sessions are an ideal opportunity for those who live locally and want to benefit from gentle, low impact exercise.

The chair yoga will be followed by a community café with tea and biscuits, helping to prevent social isolation by encouraging members of the local community to make new friends with like minded individuals.

Maria Oliver, a qualified instructor who also delivers Dacorum’s community choir sessions at Warner's End Community Centre, is running the sessions. She said: “I love delivering yoga sessions that are accessible, fun and beneficial to everyone, no matter how mobile or fit they are.

“Chair Yoga is perfect for people who don't feel they can get down onto a mat and back up again, and I hope that class members will enjoy moving and breathing more easily, as well as having a chat and a laugh.”

Having studied positive movement and chair yoga in addition to receiving a 500-hour British Wheel of Yoga Level 4 diploma, Maria has taught several chair yoga classes and is constantly inspired by the impact they can have.

“I love seeing how stretching out, easing aches and pains and relieving tensions can bring a smile to people’s faces. I’m so excited to be able to help individuals throughout Dacorum lead a more comfortable, fulfilling lifestyle.”

Steve Cox, area contract manager at Everyone Active added: “These low impact sessions are a fantastic opportunity for residents of Dacorum to begin, or improve, their fitness journey as we head into the new year.

We are delighted to be partnering with Age UK for these sessions, and are excited to see the positive impact they will have on the mental and physical wellbeing of attendees.”

Classes cost £2 (cash only) and attendees are not required to book. For more information, please visit: https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/dacorum-community-outreach/hemel-hempstead-library/