If you are aged 18+ and living with a health condition, the Active & Healthy 4 Life Exercise Referral Scheme can offer you support from a qualified instructor, a personal exercise plan and four months gym membership at a subsidised rate.
This activity is good for wellbeing because
- physical exercise can make you stronger, healthier and happier;
- support from a qualified instructor will ensure you get the most out of any exercise you do;
- if you haven’t ever been to a gym or sports centre, this scheme will give you the confidence to use these facilities.
How to contact
Where to go
Cambourne Fitness and Sports Centre
Back Lane
Great Cambourne
Cambourne
Cambridge
UK
Comberton Sports and Arts
West Street
Comberton
Cambridge
UK
Gamlingay Leisure (Community Gym and MUGA)
Station Road
Gamlingay
Sandy
UK
Impington Sports Centre
New Road
Impington
Cambridge
UK
Linton Community Sports Centre
Cambridge Road
Linton
Cambridge
UK
Melbourn Sports Centre
Melbourn
Royston
UK
Anglian Leisure Sawston
New Road
Sawston
Cambridge
UK
Swavesey Village College Sports Centre
Gibraltar Lane
Swavesey
Cambridge
UK
What to expect
If you are over 18 and live in South Cambs and have a diagnosis of one or more of the following conditions (or want to improve your health and fitness prior to surgery) you are eligible for this scheme:
Hypertension
Hypercholesterolaemia
Cancer
Diabetes (Type 1 and 2) or if you are pre-diabetic
Anxiety
Depression
Stress
Joint replacement
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Back pain
Asthma
COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Your health professional completes the referral form, prints it out and gives it to you. This could be your GP, practice nurse, physiotherapist, diabetes specialist, dietician, mental health worker, social prescriber or health coach working for your medical practice. You’ll then need to contact one of the sports centres to book your initial assessment (contact info below). At your initial assessment appointment, you give the completed referral form to your Active & Healthy 4 Life referral instructor who will work with you to create a personal programme.
Once you’ve been referred on to the scheme, you will receive:
- an initial assessment with a qualified referral instructor;
- a personal exercise programme to follow in a gym environment;
- a progress review at the end of the first month, with guidance provided by the instructor;
- access to other classes/sessions on offer at the sports centre (providing health condition and progress means this is appropriate);
- regular contact with the instructor;
- a final assessment at four months with the instructor, and you’ll be discharged from the scheme.
All instructors are qualified to level 3 exercise referral, and will support you in ways appropriate to your medical condition. At Melbourn, Comberton and Cambourne sports centres the instructor has a L4 Cancer Rehabilitation qualification and in Sawston, there are specific exercise classes for people with a health professional referral and for people with cardiac conditions.
More information
For details of who to contact within each participating sports centre, visit this page.
The cost is £20 per month for four months (except in Cambourne). This will need to be paid to the sports centre by Direct Debit. The cost includes all of the support from the instructor as well as access to the gym and additional classes and sessions.
How to contact
Where to go
Cambourne Fitness and Sports Centre
Back Lane
Great Cambourne
Cambourne
Cambridge
UK
Comberton Sports and Arts
West Street
Comberton
Cambridge
UK
Gamlingay Leisure (Community Gym and MUGA)
Station Road
Gamlingay
Sandy
UK
Impington Sports Centre
New Road
Impington
Cambridge
UK
Linton Community Sports Centre
Cambridge Road
Linton
Cambridge
UK
Melbourn Sports Centre
Melbourn
Royston
UK
Anglian Leisure Sawston
New Road
Sawston
Cambridge
UK
Swavesey Village College Sports Centre
Gibraltar Lane
Swavesey
Cambridge
UK