Women in the most ethnically diverse part of Scotland have been enjoying free weekly exercise classes and healthy heart lessons thanks to a locally raised £5,000 Heart Research UK and Subway® Healthy Heart Grant.
Fitness classes led by a qualified instructor and free healthy heart checks carried out by Heart Research UK at The Feel Good Women’s Group in Govanhill, Glasgow, where over 60 languages are spoken, have been so popular with local women that classes have been oversubscribed and some have had to queue outside the door! Cooking demonstrations to show how to make heart healthy food have also proven to be just as popular.
The Feel Good Women’s Group help women with a variety of illnesses, including anxiety, depression, obesity and diabetes, improve their physical health. Due to the diversity of the community, including ethnicity, culture and deprivation, some women in Govanhill are at a potentially higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.
One participant said, “I used to walk a lot with my husband but since he died I didn’t have anyone to walk with. I love coming here – I’m very lucky to be able to exercise and feel fit at 82 years old.”
The Heart Research UK and Subway® Healthy Heart Grant is made up of donations made in Scottish Subway® stores and the nationwide Subway Helping Hearts™ Family 5K fun runs including events in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The money is then reinvested back into local communities, to allow people to live healthier, happier, longer lives.
Rizwana Saeed, Treasurer The Feel Good Women’s Group said: “We were delighted to receive funding from Heart Research UK and the Subway® brand. We wanted to organise a place where women from a local community where over 60 languages are spoken, can come together to make friends, be safe and exercise freely regardless of age, fitness or capability.
“The results have been outstanding and shows how passionate the women of this great community are about living healthier lives”.
Heart Research UK Head of Lifestyle, Barbara Dinsdale said: “One of the aims of our Healthy Heart Grants scheme is to help large communities improve their heart health, and the ‘Keep Fit’ project from The Feel Good Women’s Group is all about this. We’re so pleased local women have benefitted from learning more about keeping fit and healthy.”
Sacha Clark, Marketing Director for the Subway® brand in UK and Ireland said: “The Subway® brand is delighted to be able to help fund this worthwhile initiative which helps women to live healthier lifestyles. Subway® stores nationwide have enjoyed fundraising and it’s great to see local community initiatives such as this come to fruition as a result of the money generously donated by our customers both in store and at fundraising events, like our popular family 5K series.”
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