Leicestershire social landlord awards grant to provide seated exercises for residents
Social landlord Platform Housing Group has been helping residents at a retirement living scheme in Leicestershire set to benefit from a project that provides exercise sessions.
The classes are taking place at retirement living scheme Arkwright House in the village of Broughton Astley, which is owned and managed by Platform Housing Group, one of the largest housing associations in the Midlands.
The newly formed social club at Arkwright House applied to Platform’s Community Chest, a funding pot for Platform customers and local charities, clubs and other not-for-profit organisations to apply for if their work or project directly benefits Platform customers; all applications are assessed against specific eligibility criteria by customers who sit on its Customer Voice Panel.
The successful application now means that residents will benefit from the sessions for the next six months.
Arkwright House is made up of 33 studio and one bedroom flats with a communal lounge for customers.
The seated exercises are being delivered under the umbrella of ‘Move it or Lose it’ with a mission to empower everyone, regardless of age or circumstances to stay active, physically, cognitively and socially.
Marion Duffy, Chief Operations Officer at Platform Housing Group said : “Helping to maintain the health and wellbeing of our customers is very important to us here at Platform.
“We are therefore delighted to be able to fund these seated exercises. They help our residents to remain active and independent and bring about conversation and laughter as well as helping to address isolation and loneliness.”
Seated exercises can aid mobility as well as reduce pain and help prevent falls; they also improve muscle strength and balance.
Rosie Glover, Secretary of the Arkwright Social Club Committee said : “We are so grateful for the funding we have been awarded from Platform. Previously, our residents faced social isolation and these exercise classes have fundamentally changed that.”
Platform Housing Group owns and manages more than 49,000 homes across the Midlands, with a portfolio that includes social and affordable rent and shared ownership houses.
In December 2023, Platform Housing Group completed the land purchase for a development that will offer 84 affordable homes in Peterborough.
