charity Arthritis Care Week around the UK orkney We followed five branches of Arthritis Care across the UK to find out what they did during this years Arthritis Care Week to reect its Keeping Moving theme WOrds: traCeY LattIMOre Tap each place name for further info Belfast Harrogate Y felinheli oswestry our next Arthritis Care diArY dAte Week is on 14-21 May 2016 put the date in your diary and get involved next year! Harrogate Every Wednesday in Bilton, Harrogate, members take part in Dancing for Wellbeing. As part of Arthritis Care Week, around 12 people attended the session. Jackie Terry, who runs a number of Dancing for Wellbeing groups in the Harrogate district, says that the most important thing is to have fun and they did. It was great to be involved in Arthritis Care week. Dancing for Wellbeing is a safe, gentle exercise, its great for company, and it lifts the spirits. Its also relaxing. The moves can be done seated or standing, so it suits many people. Elsewhere during the week, members ran a stall at the local hospital with a tombola which raised around 200. Well done! n Email here or visit www. arthritiscareharrogate.org.uk Belfast, n.ireland A new chair-based exercise DVD was launched to coincide with Arthritis Care week in Belfast. Local Ulster TV presenter Pamela Ballentine compered the event, with Karen Case lead fitness trainer on the DVD speaking about the benefits of exercise. The exercise section of the DVD was shown, while some of the members who appear on the DVD demonstrated a range of moves. Representatives from the Big Lottery Fund, which funded the DVD, attended the event, along with around 30 others, including people from Macmillan, the MS Society and the Stroke Association. It was a real feel-good event, says Kate Fleck, Northern Ireland director. Karen encouraged audience participation and everyone got involved. They thoroughly enjoyed it. n To buy a copy of the dVd for 7 plus p&p, contact the Northern Ireland office on 028 90 782940 or email here orkney oswestry Over in Orkney, a tai chi session was combined with strength and balance exercises for a fun and sociable occasion to mark Arthritis Care week. A volunteer from Arthritis Care came to demonstrate the tai chi moves, and around 25 people came along to take part. Isobel Cormack, secretary of the Orkney branch, who helped to organise it, said that the group had a really good afternoon. Quite a few ladies got up and did the exercises and they all enjoyed the tai chi. Rhona Jenkins led the tai chi class. I handed out leaets on exercise and movement, and helped show the group some exercises. The session went really well, everyone really enjoyed it. Im really glad we did it! Y felinheli n For more info, email here or visit www.arthritiscare scotland.org In Oswestry, the local branch held a tai chi demonstration and a coffee morning and cake sale at Gobowen Scout Hall. The group has its own tai chi instructor, and around 30 people attended. Frances Wycherley, who helped co-ordinate the event, says that it was a great day and everyone enjoyed themselves. Those who took part in the tai chi demonstration were members of our group, but we have since had enquiries from people interested in joining us. The event was well-advertised in the local paper and we had plenty of new visitors. The ladies who run our hydrotherapy sessions at the local hospital sold cakes and did the rae. We made 310 on the day, which we are thrilled with! n For more info, email here Y felinheli, gwynedd A physiotherapy taster session was on offer in Y Felinheli, North Wales. The session was organised in conjunction with Seren Physiotherapy based in Y Felinheli, who were keen to come and show members how physiotherapy could help. Debbie Pace, chair of the North Wales Chronic Youth branch, helped co-ordinate the event. Physiotherapist Isy Hutchinson adapted the session for members of the group, and showed participants how to work their core muscles and how to breathe properly while standing. We then laid down and she taught us how to move our arms and legs and to breathe at the same time as engaging the core muscles, explains Debbie. There were limitations for some of us, but Isy modified the moves. Isy communicated with us really well, and it was a bit of a laugh we had fun. It was a great social event. n To find out more, email here our next Arthritis Care Week is on 14-21 May 2016 put the date in your diary and get involved next year!
