Article Source: East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure
Last Updated: 17 January 2025 12:35
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's Vitality programme grew by 30% last year, saw over 10000 attendances at classes and welcomed over 200 new participants in 2024, including 60-year-old care worker Jaynie Cohen, from Giffnock. Jaynie was on holiday in Turkey in 2023 when she had a heart attack. She returned to Scotland after two months, had a life-saving operation and is now prioritising fitness to support her recovery.
Jaynie said: “What I've been through is life changing. I should, unfortunately, not be here but luckily, I got a five way bypass that saved my life.
“At first, I wasn't very sure about coming to the Vitality classes. I had my operation, attended the rehabilitation classes and thought that was great, but now I prioritise attending two Vitality classes every week, swimming twice a week at Eastwood Park Leisure and I'm going to start back at the gym, too. Moving is the most important thing and the classes are fantastic as you're doing the right exercises for the right parts of your body. It's the small things and the right exercises that make a difference and keep your body flexible. The instructors are professional, on the ball and on top of the medical side of things - one instructor takes the class while another keeps an eye on the class so they can help if you need it, and they motivate you. That's why I love coming to the classes. Life is too short and you need to look after your body. This is a second chance at life for me.”
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure partners with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver the Vitality programme to local communities. The exercise classes are led by East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's Active Health and Wellbeing team's highly skilled and qualified instructors, who support participants with medical conditions including Parkinson's disease, cardiac conditions and more. Weekly classes take place in Clarkston, Eastwood and Barrhead, offering exercise, with four different levels depending on ability. All classes increase fitness levels, improving strength, balance and overall fitness and support people in keeping active and connected.
Kenneth Aird, from Clarkston, also joined the Vitality programme last year, following a heart attack in 2023. He praised the Vitality classes for the positive impact on his mental health. Kenneth said: “It's brilliant and gives the physical activity I need, but you also get the social interaction as well. Before I started Vitality, I was in a dark place after the heart attack and living alone. Getting out and meeting other people at the classes has been a big help. I come along to Clarkston Hall on a Monday and Carmichael Hall on a Wednesday and have joined a bowling club through people I've met at the classes. The instructors know what's what and can step in and help.”
Malcom Burns, from Giffnock, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease last year and joined the Vitality classes, attending two or three classes per week. He said: “The exercise helps my condition and, if I didn't do it, I think I would get worse. It's beneficial and you meet lots of people. We enjoy the classes and have a good laugh, it's fun as well as the health benefits. Doing exercise as part of a group rather than on your own is much better.”
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's Chief Executive Anthony McReavy said: “We're very proud of our Vitality programme and the support our Active Health and Wellbeing team provides in our local community. The programme can be a lifeline to our participants, helping them to stay active and healthy and connecting them with others who have faced similar experiences and challenges. We look forward to another successful year of our Vitality programme in 2025.”
For more information on Vitality, visit: www.ercultureandleisure.org
BTS Army: Forever We Are Young, a brand-new documentary celebrating the fans that helped catapult 21st century pop icons BTS into global stardom comes to Vue.
READ MOREScotland’s national music prize – the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – has opened submissions for 2025’s £20,000 prize.
READ MOREThis summer, gather the whole family and head to Dobbies Garden Centres for a day of fun-filled activities that will keep costs down.
READ MORESummerfest, the FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores, is back on the 5th and 6th of July with lots of things to see and do!
READ MOREEast Renfrewshire Council raised the Armed Forces Day flag today to mark Armed Forces Day which will be held on Saturday 28th June.
READ MOREThe biggest show of its kind in Scotland returns with Earlybird tickets and a give-away with headline sponsor Border Caravans!
READ MORECheck out July at Dobbies with it's Little Seedlings Club on rainforests and Grow How on pest control and healthy gardens!
READ MOREHistoric Environment Scotland is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.
READ MOREScotland's hospitality industry and customers have spoken, and the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 has listened!
READ MOREA Busby pub is one of six locals to have been selected from 2,400 around the UK to receive a prestigious Recognition Award from Heineken-owned Star Pubs.
READ MOREEastwood Park Theatre has announced a whole host of brand-new shows featuring well-known faces.
READ MORERefugee Festival Scotland gets underway today, kick-starting nine days of dance performances, film screenings, visual art and photography exhibitions and community events across the country.
READ MORETickets are on sale for an exclusive Superman screening at Vue venues in Scotland, with fans in for an extra special treat to take home.
READ MOREThe paperback edition of Only Here, Only Now by Tom Newlands has just been released - and is already making waves.
READ MOREEast Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure has launched a search for local sports supporters in the community to recognise at its annual Sport and Physical Activity Awards.
READ MOREScottish Building Society marked its Annual General Meeting (AGM) by announcing funding to support eight local charities and good causes across the country.
READ MOREVisitors are invited to come along and get up-close to some amazing cars, set against the beautiful backdrop of Loch Lomond, as part of a great day out.
READ MOREBark by popular demand, the Gordon Setter Parade returns on Saturday 5th July as part of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scottish Game Fair, held at the stunning Scone Palace.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres are inviting families across the UK along to its stores on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June to spend a magical afternoon filled with fun activities and good food.
READ MORECineworld is launching a brand new 4DX Father's Day gift experience, containing two 4DX tickets and ponchos, perfect for experiencing the new live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" film.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Rose-themed Grow How workshop this June, sharing top tips for caring for this beloved flowering plant.
READ MOREScotland's longest-running hospitality awards turn 30 - and they want you to have your say!
READ MORELoch Lomond Unplugged, our FREE showcase of talented buskers and singer/songwriters, is this weekend and we’re super excited to welcome great acts from across Scotland and beyond!
READ MOREEast Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure invited veterans for afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres is inviting children to come along to its free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club, taking place across the country this June.
READ MOREAldi Scotland is on the hunt for the nation's biggest beer lover, as it revamps its popular Best Home Bar Competition by expanding the criteria.
READ MORERefugee Festival Scotland has officially unveiled the programme for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from 13 – 22 June.
READ MOREAldi's Scottish Sport Fund 2025 has returned for its tenth year, giving local sports clubs in Glasgow and the West of Scotland the opportunity to receive a share of £50,000 in funding.
READ MOREFilm fans, families and comic book enthusiasts are invited to rediscover the original big screen superhero team as a series of classic X-Men films return to the big screen at Vue this month.
READ MOREScottish comedian Susie McCabe will headline a comedy show this month at Eastwood Park Theatre.
READ MORE