Edinburgh Leisure wants to keep you active – even in your old age

Ageing Well and Keeping Active

The award-winning project, Ageing Well, run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian will be starting two new activities in July, to support people to become, and remain active in later life. 

Starting on Thursday, 8 July, there will be a regular Walk around Saughton Walled Garden with a volunteer walk leader.  The walk is suitable for people who have not walked much before, and are looking to be more active, or are returning from injury or illness. The walk will take up to 30 minutes on flat ground or gentle slopes with firm surfaces and generally no steps. Register your interest with active@edinburghleisure.co.uk. Participants should meet at the Garden Bistro, at 10.50am for an 11am start.  A contribution of £1 is welcomed towards the activity. 

There will also be an 11 week long Cycle Skills Course, starting on Monday, 12 July, which will meet at Saughton Sports Centre initially, with a further 4 weeks on the cycle paths leaving from Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and a further 4 weeks leaving from Meggetland. Good quality bikes and helmets are supplied to trainees so there is no need to own your own. 

This course is suitable for those who wish to take up cycling again after a lengthy absence but lack confidence. The course will give participants an opportunity to improve confidence on a bike; increase bike-handling skills; put in to practice the skills they are learning; and the introduction to cycle paths, on the last two weeks of the course. 

The course is very relaxed, sociable and fun and is based on the Cycling Scotland Bikeability material adapted for adults. A contribution of £2 per week is asked from trainees to help towards the running costs of the programme. 

Pre-booking a slot on the course is essential – active@edinburghleisure.co.uk

Ageing Well also has a walking programme, which has eight health walks across the city on different days, aimed at different fitness levels.

Further information about the different walks can be found at: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/ageing-well-walks

Since their activities reopened after Covid-19 restrictions lifted again at the beginning of April, they have been supporting 120 older adults to be active again. The emphasis is on meeting new people and making physical activity accessible and enjoyable. All activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.