Newstead ‘young@heart’ group
scoops two awards at
Gedling PCTs
Annual Achievement Awards

The young@heart group began life known as ‘Healthy Hips and Hearts’, a collaborative project set up by Newstead Nurse Practitioner Service and Dance4 as part of their contribution to Newstead Healthy Living Centre. The Healthy Living Centre is lead and managed by Notts RCC.

Now recognised as a project in its own right, young@heart is delivered through a partnership providing the skills and resources of community volunteers, Gedling PCT health professionals, Dance4 national dance agency community project workers, Kirkby Volunteer Centre community transport service, Newstead Courtyard Café, and Newstead Miners Welfare and Community Centre.

The progress and development of this group has largely been down to the tremendous commitment and enthusiasm of all the partners involved. This dynamic partnership has now received official recognition at Gedling PCTs 2005 AGM. The young@heart group won an award for the ‘Best Partnership’ as part of Gedling PCTs Annual Achievement Awards 2005 - Working Towards a Healthier Gedling. The group also came out top in the award for ‘overall winner for innovation’.

Eddie Alder, Newstead Nurse Practitioner, was one of the initial catalysts to get the group, and the partnership established. He said – “These combined skills and resources provide weekly sessions for older people residing within Newstead with an opportunity to socialise and improve their physical and mental well being through the use of creative movement and other activities. Prior to formation of the partnership, there were limited opportunities for older people within Newstead to socialise together. Community consultation suggested that networks of older people were falling down as older residents became increasingly housebound, with inevitable risks to both physical and mental health.”

Numerous benefits have been observed by Nurses and Dance workers, including increased socialisation and self-confidence, improved mobility and movement, and reduced use of walking aids/wheelchairs. Comments from users go one step further in showing the real value of this group, including ‘It is good for me’, ‘A lovely happy little hour’ ‘Brings you out of yourself’ ‘Very enjoyable……feel better’.