Hamara women’s fitness and basketball sessions

On the closing day for applications here’s an entry for the St Luke’s CARES Community Awards, submitted by the Hamara Centre in Beeston. Entries are now CLOSED.


Who? : Beeston community consists of a variety of cultures and faith groups. We attract females from the Asian, Polish and African communities mainly.  Ages ranging from 14-71 year olds actively taking part every week. Overcoming the health and loneliness barriers we often experience.

What?: The project initially started as a sports for all (sports England) funding bid for women’s health and has been running for a number of years now with no charge to the participants.

I have been appointed the aerobics instructor since August 2017 and I have been overwhelmed with the response and energy amongst the group of women. There have been so many benefits – please see attached the article and feedback and pictures of the sessions.

Since the grant funding has ended in January 2018 – 50% of the participants have not further continued as they now have to pay.

Where? The fitness sessions take place at the Hamara Centre and the basketball takes place at the old Cockburn sports hall in Beeston.

When? The feedback from the sessions have accumulated since August 2017 to date. The fitness classes run 3x week at Hamara between 7-8pm and basketball is once a week on Friday 10.30-12pm

Why and How? The project is needed as for the first time women are part of a fitness movement they feel empowered and strong and able to feel that fitness acts as a therapy rather than indulging in idol chit chat and weight gain from over eating. We have noticed an increase in happiness and community with fuddle events that bring the community together to celebrate this movement -which in essence impacts the whole family unit from partners to children. Please see some of the feedback from our our wattsapp group.

I hope you can consider this application and note that we can use the funding to subsidise the cost of the sessions and venue hire, in order to increase regular participation and increase the mental and physical well being of our community- who are mainly living off benefits.

 

This post was written by Milly Rohman using our Create an article for South Leeds Life page.