Lincoln City Foundation were awarded £108,686 for their “Happier Healthier Inspired” project, which will use the power of sport and physical activity to inspire and help communities in the Theddlethorpe, Mablethorpe and Withern region to improve their health and wellbeing.
The foundation’s proven approach, which is already having impact in other parts of Lincolnshire, including Mablethorpe, seeks to inspire individuals to be more active, promote long term health benefits, encourage positive mental wellbeing, and create positive social change by bringing people together.
The project consists of three elements: firstly, sustaining the existing Fighting Fit physical activity programme in the region for individuals living with cancer, secondly developing new physical activity sessions targeted at additional long-term health conditions such as Parkinson’s, and thirdly developing general health and wellbeing initiatives which meet the local need.
Fighting Fit is a physical activity programme which aims to support people living with or recovering from cancer. Fighting Fit focuses on low-impact fitness designed to help individuals maintain or increase physical activity levels at a pace that suits them and support in the fight against cancer. Sessions are designed to build back key components of health (such as balance, posture, strength, and flexibility), help individuals cope with the side effects of cancer treatment, and enhance overall quality of life. Group sessions also allow individuals to connect with people with shared experiences, gain peer to peer support and enhance their mental wellbeing.
The Mablethorpe based Fighting Fit session has been running since August 2022 and thus far has engaged with eight direct beneficiaries. Fighting Fit was initially funded by the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), with funding provided by the ICB to establish Fighting Fit as a county wide programme and develop various delivery sites. This has been achieved, and this project will sustain Fighting Fit in the Mablethorpe area. The project has formed strong local relationships with Marisco Medical Practice, the Mablethorpe Living with Cancer Co-production Group, and Embrace Breast Cancer Support Group, all who refer into Fighting Fit and collectively help shape the holistic support offered to those living with cancer in the Mablethorpe area. Lincoln City Foundation has become a trusted partner to these local groups and organisations, alongside the local people it is supporting.