Take up a challenge: Healthy Communities is encouraging seniors to participate in the Team Get Mooving Challenge.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Imagine having an app on your phone that suggested a variety of interesting, healthy, local activities for you, anytime you or family members were at a loose end or had some spare time.
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Whenever you go to the app, the activities roll over so the next ones pop up, with all the relevant details such as where, when, and who the event is aimed at.
Even better, the events are free or low cost, paid for by your local government in the interests of encouraging community connection and better health outcomes.
In case you don’t recognise the description, this is Greater Shepparton City Council’s natty Get Mooving app, backed up by a website and also a printed booklet, just to cover everyone, regardless of their technical aptitude or access.
After a recent hiatus due to obvious flooding, activities are back with the Activities in the Park program, which amazingly has been going for 10 years this year. It aims to encourage us to make healthy choices about exercise and eating to build resilience and social connections.
Giddy up: Children were able to ride wooden horses around the park during ast year’s school holiday activity at Congupna, run by Greater Shepparton City Council. Photo: Rechelle Zammit
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
If that sounds a bit paternalistic, the activities themselves certainly don’t.
A quick flick reveals a beginners’ ‘Let’s Move it’ session for people who have never exercised before or are too intimated to go to the gym; kite making; meditation; story-time in the park; come and try hockey and badminton; a drawing workshop; a pouring art workshop; a seniors’ walking group; scones and tea in the park; nature-based play for young children; basic bike-handling skills; a teddy bear-making and picnic; a silent disco; face painting and glitter tattoo workshop.
In the past the program was held in the warmer months but now it’s year-round. There are special activities on during school holidays.
Another laudable aspect of the program is that it comes to the people, with event locations circulating through our region with regular visits to smaller towns, as well as Shepparton.
The dedicated staff members that run the program are regulars on the One FM Breakfast Program.
When thinking about the factors that lead to a healthy life, most of us would probably think exercise, healthy eating, moderating our drinking of alcohol and not smoking are the keys to longevity.
And, obviously, these are all factors. But recent studies have shown that the number-one common denominator among those who lead long, happy and healthy lives is a sense of social connectedness.
That connectedness can, of course, take many forms. It might be a sense of family, a sense of belonging to a supportive neighbourhood, or being a member of a club where you share similar interests with others. It might even be an online community.
The Get Mooving programs ticks all these boxes.
So, don’t sit at home feeling disconnected. Have a look at the program and pick out something that sounds like you.
Who wouldn’t like free tea and scones in Mactier Gardens in Tatura, for example? Just turn up. You’ll be welcome.
