Community £s coming up for trumps for Chard (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Community £s coming up for trumps for Chard

4:22pm Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in News

MORE than 40 people in Chard and the surrounding area have already grabbed the opportunity to sign up to Community £s - the innovative weight loss project where losing weight directly benefits the community.

Although spaces on the project are limited, residents who meet the eligibility criteria are being encouraged to sign up before it’s too late.

Community £s offers access a range of discounted exercise classes and opportunities. The unique part of Community £s is that by losing weight participants raise money to be spent on healthy lifestyle initiatives in their own community. For every lb in weight that is lost, £1 will go towards the community.

The project is led by Chard Town Team with support from the Healthy Lifestyles Team at South Somerset District Council, Somerset Partnership and NHS Somerset.

Garry Shortland, chairman of Chard Town Team said, “We are pleased to be the community organisation delivering this project in Chard and are keen to encourage the community to get involved in this project, which not only helps to improves people’s health but also raises money for more healthy lifestyle projects in the community.”

Activities included in the programme include bootcamp, legs bums and tums, pilates, bokwa, walking, circuits and kettlebell classes. All of the activities run on various days and times throughout the week and cost as little as £1.00 to attend for Community £s members and £3.00 for non-Community £s members.

Charlie Coward, Healthy Lifestyles Officer at South Somerset District Council said: “The Community £s project provides a valuable opportunity to set up local, discounted activities which are accessible to all.

“We know that in difficult financial times affording things like exercise and gym memberships can be hard. The aim of community £s is to provide more local, low cost exercise opportunities for people to take responsibility for improving their own health, whilst supporting local providers and developing community relations.”

Cllr Sylvia Seal, the portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture at South Somerset District Council said, “Community £s has given us the opportunity to help 100 residents in Yeovil and more than 40 in Chard to access brand new and exciting exercise opportunities whilst raising money for their community.

"Community £s provides more affordable opportunities for the residents of South Somerset to become more active, more often. Community £s is the ideal way to get active in your community.”

Places on the programme are limited and terms and conditions apply, visit the website for more information, www.southsomerset.gov.uk/communitypounds .

For more information or to join the scheme contact Charlie on 01935 462347 or email active@southsomerset.gov.uk