Inspiring Stories
Hear the inspirational stories of people across Gloucestershire on a journey to a more active lifestyle.
There are so many people across Gloucestershire that are supporting others to get active or are on an physical activity journey of their own.
If you are in need of some inspiration, listen to some of the incredible stories of people in the county who are helping Gloucestershire become a place where physical activity is a part of everyone’s lifestyle.
If you are wanting to move more and need some motivation, listen to the stories of people who have improved their lives through physical activity and find out how it can have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing.
Yacoob Patel, Volunteer Coach at Rising Stars YFC
Yacoob is a volunteer coach at Rising Stars FC who delivers football sessions in Barton and Tredworth. He has been a pivotal in driving participation in an underrepresented and diverse community of young people. He coaches children from age 8 – 14, offering turn up and play sessions every Sunday morning, as well as Saturday matches.
Holi Courtney-Ward, founder and teacher at The He4t dance group
Holi runs dance classes in Tewkesbury and Evesham for all ages and abilities. Holi believes dancing isn’t just for “dancers” and wants people who enjoy dancing to have a space to do so.
Holi runs a variety of dance classes for children, adult beginners and adult intermediates as well as a class called ‘The Dames’ which is specifically for ladies over 40!
Marion Simmonds, Volunteer Walk Leader for Charlies Community Support
Marion became a volunteer at Charlies after she was supported by the Charity through her cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Marion has since become a volunteer who offers organised walks for people affected by cancer. Marion also arranges and advertises the walks, as well as organising a place where participants can meet for a coffee after the walk.
Léla Thomas, Founder and Director of SOH Fit Community Fitness Sessions
Léla is a fitness instructor in Gloucester; she has recently opened a ladies only fitness studio focused on supporting women’s optimal health and delivers community exercise classes for older adults too. She offers a variety of fitness classes and personal training services that cater to diverse needs.
Lara Attwood and Sam Quinson, Social Prescribing Link Workers for Caring for Communities and People/NHS & Cheltenham Central Primary Care Network
A duo of changemakers; Lara and Sam support the local community in their general wellbeing goals and encourage patients to actively work towards healthier, happier lifestyles. As part of their role as Social Prescribing Link Workers, they run a fortnightly walking group which they encourage patients to join to give them the opportunity to get out of the house, meet new people, and benefit from some light exercise.
Marguerita Mills, Volunteer for the Wellbeing Garden Project for the Independence
Marguerita supports people to get active in a different way. Through the Wellbeing Garden Project, she encourages people to get outside and do some gardening, whether it be digging, planting, pruning or mowing.
Marguerita loves gardening and encourages others to do the same. She spends time connecting with participants, understanding their needs, abilities and interests and then showing them how to do different projects.
MaryClare Faulkner, Inclusive Cycling Lead at Goals Beyond Grass
MaryClare set up the Gloucestershire Wheels for All project in 2016 with the national charity Leonard Cheshire. With the help of many volunteers and colleagues she now delivers inclusive cycling around Gloucestershire with the local charity Goals Beyond Grass.
MaryClare is passionate about enabling people who would otherwise be unable to cycle, to enjoy the activity in safe, off-road environments.
Sinéad Byrne, Head Instructor at Kenbu Dojo
Sinéad teaches martial arts but gives lots of other opportunities for her students to get active or just be social together in a supportive and comfortable environment. Sinéad said “Most of my members feel like an extended family, meaning they have a safe space to be themselves and have support of either myself or others through life’s many ups and downs and so I l love to support them and be their biggest cheerleader inside and outside of our club.”
Abbymead Pirates
Abbymead Pirates are a walking football club based in Gloucester. PIRATES, an acronym teeming with significance—Physical Interaction, Recuperation And Training for Everyone—captures the essence of their mission, that transcends conventional sportsmanship. Since its inception, Abbymead Pirates has become a vibrant community, with its membership swelling to a over 40 individuals, each bearing their own unique story and facing diverse health challenges, including Alzheimer’s.
Keasha Kellam, Founder of Honour Thy Woman Group’s Wellbeing Programme
Via the Honour Thy Woman Group’s Wellbeing Programme, Keasha runs activities to promote creativity, health and wellbeing. This includes walks in nature, foraging, yoga and mobility.
The group participants are all survivors of domestic abuse and know what it feels like to be isolated. These groups help women to self-care, socialise and escape the trauma of abuse.
Aaron Davies, Health and Wellbeing Coach at GL Communities.
Aaron offers one-to-one coaching, leads walking groups and yoga sessions.
He believes moving the body creates a free mind and wants his sessions to help people with their self-belief, confidence, independence, weight management, movement patterns, and overall health and wellbeing.
Hadwen Health
After receiving funding from Active Gloucestershire, Hadwen Health ran a programme to help patients become more active. With a focus on patients who had reduced mobility or disability, Hadwen Health’s 12 week programme aimed at not just supporting patients to move more, but educate them on them importance of strength and mobility.
Carena Sharpley, Barton and Tredworth memory cafe
The Barton and Tredworth memory cafe was an initiative set up to support people with dementia to add some physical activity into their life. Carena explains the positive impact the initiative had on those who participated, which goes to show the incredible effect physical activity can have on our health and wellbeing.
Max Pemberton, YUGO and the Young Leadership course
Active Gloucestershire worked with Gloucestershire based Charity, YUGO, on the young leadership course with Gloucestershire College. The course supported young people who aspire to work in the industry as teachers or coaches, to gain a leadership qualification which will allow them to volunteer as coaches for various sports and physical activity sessions.
Solace Gym, Cheltenham
Solace Gym based in Cheltenham is a place where your mental health is at the heart of the gym ethos. Gym owner, Louise, is passionate about the benefits physical activity can heave on our mental health and she wanted to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and supported to be active in a way that works for them and supports their mental health and wellbeing.
Lesley Lyons, Personal Trainer
Lesley Lyons – a personal trainer who specialises in supporting older people and those who suffer with pain. Lesley wants to help people add physical activity into their daily routine and modify activities to make it easier for them so they can continue to be active later in life.
Andy Herbert, Move More
Cheltenham based charity Move More are on a mission to instil a love of physical activity within all children so they develop a positive, lifelong attitude to moving more. Move More work delivers PE and School Sport provision in every primary school across Cheltenham and Tewkesbury. As well as running their own holiday camps, Move More recently secured funding from various sources, including Gloucestershire County Council, to deliver free holiday camps for vulnerable children and families.
Sarah Vallance, Accessible Yoga with Sarah
Sarah, owner of Accessible Yoga with Sarah wants to improve people’s lives by sharing the benefits of yoga – whether that’s by allowing rest, reducing stress or through movement. Sarah goes into detail about how Yoga can be for everyone, no matter age or ability.
Get involved
Share your story
We would love to hear all about your physical activity journey or about how you are supporting people to get active in Gloucestershire.
Your share your story using the button below or on social media – just check out the links at the top of the page.
Meet the changemakers
Find out more how the we can move changemakers are supporting people across Gloucestershire to lead active lifestyles.
Join the movement
Do you support people to get active? Are you an advocate for physical activity? Join the movement today and access a range of support and resources to help you help other move more.
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Location
- Cheltenham
- Cotswolds
- Forest of Dean
- Gloucester
- Gloucestershire
- Stroud
- Tewkesbury
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Activity
- Bowls
- Boxing
- Building srength and mobility
- Community group
- Cycling
- Dance
- Fall Proof
- Football
- Gardening
- Gymnastics
- Martial arts
- Mixed ability rugby
- PE
- Personal training
- Play
- Resource
- Rugby
- Running
- Social
- Sport
- Swing ball
- Walking
- Walking football
- Wheelchair rolling
- Yoga
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Team member
- Ben Langworthy
- Chris Davis
- Lizzie Homer
- Sarah Haden
- Tom Beasley
- Tom Hall
- Tom Handley
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Topic
- About we can move
- Active ageing
- Active environments
- Active workplace
- Benefits of physical activity
- Celebrating success
- Changemakers
- Community impact
- Disability
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Events
- Expert guidance
- Funding
- Get active
- Health
- Innovative strategies
- Insight
- Managing pain
- Measurement, evaluation and learning
- Mental health
- News
- Partner
- Place-based working
- Practical tools
- Schools and education
- Special Educational Needs
- Strength & Mobility
- We can move event 2024
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Age Group
- Adults
- Kids
- Older people
- Pensioners
- Teens
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Health Condition
- Alzheimers
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Falls
- Long term health condition
- Reduced mobility
- Sight impairment
- Stress
- Visual impairment
- Wheelchair user
