FIT RAMS gives Carrie the ability to live the life her and her family deserve.

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Prior to starting FIT RAMS with Derby County Community Trust, Carrie had tried many times to lose weight and get healthier but had found herself struggling to stick to diets and weight-loss plans.

“Before I started FIT RAMS had no confidence and felt no self-worth. I felt that everything I did I failed at as I had done with so many diets in the past. I was so morbidly obese, with a terrifying BMI that I worried constantly about leaving my children behind with no mother.

“I was unable to walk very far without feeling very tired. I had no energy and absolutely no motivation. I knew I wanted to make changes so much but just couldn’t see a way out of the cycle of binge eating and depression.”

Getting out of this cycle was exactly what Carrie needed to reach her goals and that is where FIT RAMS came in to help.

“I love the fact there was no pressure to make any changes to our lives and it was all on our own terms. This helped massively with the previous cycle I have felt from other classes of feeling like you’ve failed so continuing on a downward spiral. The SMART goals are really good for helping with this. This for me was so much better than being given an unrealistic eating plan and being dictated to.”

FIT RAMS was a revelation for Carrie, who committed herself to the course every week and enjoyed the process.

“I have learned so much by coming to the classes every week and have really enjoyed them. I’ve never missed a class and that’s because I looked forward to coming and didn’t feel judged or daunted by an intense exercise class that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with.

“The classes were so varied with quizzes, small group activities and full group discussions that I never felt under any pressure to contribute more than I felt I could. This variety made the sessions more interesting and helped to maintain my attention. I also felt our group was very friendly and supportive and I never felt silly asking any questions in front of anybody there.

“The exercise classes were amazing. They started off at such an achievable level that I didn’t get scared off after the first one! Every week Jon made them a little harder and that was perfect for me to keep my enthusiasm going and I also felt like I had really achieved something in each class.”

Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss are sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, and reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in reduction in blood pressure, and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

By the end of the course, Carrie lost an amazing 10.3kg and 13cm off her waist and feels like she’s making steps forward thanks to FIT RAMS and the support she received.

“I finally feel like I can succeed on my journey now and that’s down to Jon and Ben. They have helped me to start living the life I deserve and have helped me to feel like I am worthy of investing my time into. I will always be grateful for the time and planning they have put into the sessions and their attitude towards people like myself who just need some help to get back onto the right path.

“I can’t thank you both enough and am looking forward to attending the maintenance classes regularly.”

To find out more about your nearest FIT FANS programme,  please contact your local Club using the list below.

    * Please Choose Club 1

    Your information will be sent to a member of staff from your chosen club who will call or email information about FIT FANS. You are not committing to joining FIT FANS just to receiving further information. Your data will not be used for any other information without you consent. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details on how we manage your data

    The EFL Trust launch ‘Headstart’ to support children’s mental health

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    Year 6 children to receive mental health support to reduce NHS strain.

    The EFL Trust, alongside four Club Community Organisations (CCOs) in Lancashire, are aiming to support children and their mental health through a new two-year project, Headstart, funded by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity after successfully applying for an NHS Charities Together Grant. Read more

    Eco pupils and Trust make Ewood Park green

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    Blackburn Rovers Community Trust (BRCT) welcomed hundreds of eager pupils from across the North West who want to make a sustainable difference to their lives and those of future generations. 
     Read more

    FIT FANS with Bolton Wanderers opened Gemma’s eyes to health and wellbeing

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    Prior to attending her first FIT FANS session, Gemma was apprehensive and reluctant to get involved in the programme as she had some misconceptions surrounding the programmes morals and outcomes.

    She believed that like other weight loss initiatives, weekly weigh-ins would be made in front of the group, with participants feeling as though they would have to explain themselves in an uncomfortable environment.

    However, Gemma exclaims: “I was so very wrong.”

    Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change, and weight loss are sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, and reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in reduction in blood pressure, and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

    Gemma saw her weight increase after her wedding, but she desired to feel better about herself.  FIT FANS has allowed her to do just that, all with the support of other women just like her.

    She said:

    “Once we had started and I had met the other ladies, I started to relax and think that I wasn’t the only person feeling the same way and started to feel like we were all in this together.”

    The sustainable approach of FIT FANS is unlike any other where participants partake in a blended session of classroom and physical activities.

    Gemma explains:

    “I learned so much in our classroom part of the sessions, some things were an eye-opener – how much cheese is classed as a portion for example (shocking), other things I knew but weren’t putting into practice. It gave me a real boost to think about what I am putting into my body, about portion sizes, and about how much I move.”

    With a boost of willpower and knowledge, Gemma was able to re-evaluate her diet and start to implement some of what the course had taught her. This was beneficial for Gemma’s weight loss but also for her general health and wellbeing.

    She said:

    “The physical exercise parts were the bits I loved the most. I really enjoy the feeling afterward and how much stronger and fitter I am becoming week after week.”

    The 12-week FIT FANS programme with Bolton Wanderers has provided Gemma with the foundations to continuously implement a healthy diet and regular exercise in her day-to-day life.

    How Golden Valiants Changes Lives- Alan and Hazel’s Story

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    Alan and Hazel first attended Port Vale’s Golden Valiants session in 2021 after a stroke left Alan shy and fearful. He struggled physically with his left side significantly weakened, and his short-term memory suffered also. Consequently, Alan became a shadow of himself, impacting his confidence in his loving wife and also bearing the secondary lasting effects of caring for someone who has suffered such a drastic change in their life.

    Little did they know when they first stepped foot in the door at Port Vale that Golden Valiant’s would change their lives.

    Port Vale’s Golden Valiants is part of the EFL Trust’s network of Extra Time Hubs.  The Hubs allow people in their retirement to enjoy the process of getting older. With friendships, support and being the socially active forefront of the Hubs aim, participants decide what they wish to take in with various activities on offer from quizzes to walking football.

    When the pair first attended in July 2021, Alan was nervous, hiding behind Hazel and was heard to say, “I’m frightened”.

    At the beginning of the first session, he avoided eye contact and verbal interaction with any member of staff and refused to participate in the activities on offer. After careful consideration from both the staff and Hazel, the session progressed, and they introduced large wooden dominoes to Alan. When asked if he would like to play, without replying, he began to turn over the dominoes, even though it was a lengthy and challenging process.

    Alan and Hazel continued to attend, and Alan’s confidence grew. He started to interact with others, and his mobility started to improve by participating in our chair-based exercise, joining in with the dancing, and moving from one activity to another with balance and directness.

    There have been many drastic improvements. Alan now has more confidence in using the parts of his body that were weakened and now takes part in intricate hand-eye coordination activities such as darts, painting and ten-pin bowling.

    The stroke also meant Alan struggled with his short-term memory, not remembering why he was visiting places, who people were or what day of the week it was. However as Hazel, who now also volunteers at the Foundation’s Memory Lane Café, explains the regular session have also helped improve Alan’s memory: “Having a routine in place, where we can attend a group with such caring and attentive staff in a safe environment has been a lifesaver. Alan so looks forward to attending the sessions on a weekly basis. He has personally written Port-Vale day on the calendar for every Tuesday. His ability to dress himself and interact with others has dramatically increased and his confidence, verbal interaction skills, and his increased short term memory surprises me every day. He now takes pride in entering the building before me.”

    PNCET and Guild Lodge partnership has given ex-service user John a new future to embark on with the Trust

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    John Richardson has progressed from a user of Preston North End’s Community and Education Trust’s partnership with Guild Lodge to giving back to the community and creating a better future for himself.

    John was a patient at Guild Lodge, a mental health unit in Goosnargh, Preston when Tom Drake, the Trust’s CEO, visited to deliver weekly sessions to the service users. This meeting was the start of a whole new future for John having been in Guild Lodge for three and a half years.

    The partnership between Guild Lodge and PNECET meant Tom quickly noticed John’s nature of engagement and willingness towards other participants. Consequently, John was offered the opportunity to volunteer within the Trust. Having been discharged from Guild Lodge, John began his evolving journey with Preston as he started as a volunteer and now a casual member of staff where he has gained paid employment working across the Community Engagement and Health and Wellbeing programmes.

    John has also actively been involved in the Trust’s holiday activities and food programme, soccer schools as well as delivering PL Kicks sessions to younger generations of the community and has also engaged with men’s mental health group, Andy’s Man Club.

    He explained:  “When I was at Guild Lodge, Tom Drake [PNECET CEO] came down and introduced himself and gave me some training. He later offered me a job. Now I’m a member of staff and I’m going back into Guild Lodge to help what Tom started.

    “It’s helped me mature. It’s something I enjoy, which is a bonus. I’m doing it for myself, getting more confident, and helping children back on to the straight and narrow.”

    John’s desire to serve the community that helped him has gained significant recognition as he was awarded Preston’s Community Gateway Association ‘Unsung Hero’ award.

    He said: “I’ve been giving back to the community, that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve been helping other people get out of trouble, giving talks to young people and getting them off the wrong path and getting them onto the right path. I’m just enjoying my job.”

    Ipswich Town Community Trust provides the light at the end of the tunnel for Chris with Kickstart placement

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    Chris Moore has recently joined Ipswich Town Community Trust as a Health and Well-being Activator to give back to the same community that helped him after an ongoing battle with his mental health.

    For much of the last 10-15 years, Chris has been fighting severe depression and anxiety but even more recently active psychosis. Consequently, he found day-to-day living difficult without even considering the huge impact a new job could have.

    Despite this, with the help of his family, close friends, and mental health services in Suffolk, Chris is now at a stage where he can manage the symptoms and voices he incurs every day.

    He heard about the opportunity with Ipswich Town and “felt this was a perfect way to give back to the community and services in Suffolk.” Although, mental health is a problem he faces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Chris is determined to “prove to others that a mental health diagnosis is not the end, that young people with mental health issues can make it through, and that there is help there for everyone.”

    As Chris takes a big step in his journey, one that wouldn’t have seemed possible before, he praises the Community Trust’s understanding of his circumstances. He said: “My new role allows me the freedom to get involved with what I’m passionate about helping the community. As well as being hugely supportive of my mental health conditions and workplace adjustments to make me more comfortable.

    “I want to just say thank you to my support network of my Friends, Family, My Support worker & mental health care team, and last but not least, my new colleagues within the ITFC Community Trust team. Because if it wasn’t for all of you, I would not be in the place I am today, and I couldn’t help the community that helped me”.

    Chris’ passion and desire to ensure he can help as many people as he can is evident in such detailed ideas and plans through his new role. He has already using his experience to help students at the local Suffolk One sixth form college in their future prospect.

    He highlights: “I’m aiming to set up a scheme in the new year that combines the use of sport and exercise to battle the symptoms of mental health issues, whilst at the same time teaching members of the community about health and well-being factors relating to their own and others mental health conditions.

    As well as this I’m also in the intermediate stage of setting up day trips to the stadium for game days and sport sessions, at the moment I’m involved in talks with management at Ipswich Hospital to get some of the dementia patients and staff day trips to games and sports sessions.”

    Although Chris has experienced some very dark moments in his ongoing journey with his mental health, Ipswich Town Community Trust has provided him with the light at the end of the tunnel to give back and support his community.

     

     

    “The Extra Time hubs have given me my husband back. That’s all I could ask for”

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    Roy Huckfield found his purpose in life through work.  However, as Roy returned to Shropshire to retire after 16 years of working abroad, it became a difficult period for him to deal with especially having lost connection with many of his old friends. Having represented Team Great Britain at the Olympic Games, Roy was accustomed from an early age to dedicating his time to learning and nurturing skills in order to reaching his goals. Consequently after retiring, Roy lacked a purpose that had seen him excel previously and he became lost without a sense of belonging.

    Unfortunately, Roy found these difficulties all too real and lost sight of himself. However, with the support of his family and through his strength of character, Roy was slowly able to contemplate a recovery after receiving a flyer advertising Shrewsbury Town’s Extra Time Hub. The hubs are an initiative to help combat social isolation and aid a happier, healthier retirement and Catherine Huckfield, Roy’s wife believes the hubs have been ‘the making’ of her husband.

    Roy attended the group and was welcomed with open arms. As the weeks passed, Roy’s confidence grew, and his personality began to shine through and reflect on other participants.  When a new technology club was created, Roy past role in IT was once again valuable and he was now confident enough to take a lead role, passing on his tech knowledge and know-how through demonstrations and lessons. Within a small number of weeks, Roy was known as ‘The Head of Tech Club’ and grew into the role. The  sense of purpose Roy lost was now back with a vengeance.

    Roy explained: “It makes me feel absolutely wonderful to be able to help somebody… it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me because it got me out and meeting people and doing things and feeling confident again to try and do things again it brought me back to life.”

    The Extra Time Hub has had such an impact on Roy’s demeanor, especially his increased confidence, Roy has been able to further aid his community through his IT expertise as he works for Shropshire Council providing 1 to 1 support.

    Catherine concludes,

    “The Extra Time hubs have given me my husband back. That’s all I could ask for”

    How FIT BORO helped Ged overcome his anxiety and lose 13kg

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    Ged Canny is a 60-year-old Service Manager from Middlesbrough who, in 2019, had a knee replacement operation due to an old sporting injury that had never been addressed. The ensuing operation and recuperation including a significant time off work took its toll on both Ged`s mental health and confidence.

    Having previously been an active individual, Ged made the tough decision to not take part in physical activity after his operation to avoid any further complications. This meant stopping his hobbies such as cycling, squash, and running. However, returning to work would be a distraction for Ged to focus his mind elsewhere and be involved in social situations but the world would be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns that would force Ged to work from home.

    Whilst working from home he got used to working long hours and eating at all different hours of the day with his usual routine very much out of sync. Although, self-admittedly Ged’s diet prior to this period was not the most nutritious. This coupled with the lack of face-to-face contact with others and decreased activity found his self-confidence and overall mental health deteriorating. Consequently, Ged’s physical health suffered too with his weight increasing to 104kg and his waist size to 48 inches.

    As normality started to creep back in and lockdown restrictions were being eased, Ged was adamant that he needed to do something about his health and wellbeing. He came up with an idea to organise walking football amongst his friends who had had similar experiences during the enforced lockdowns in order to combine fitness with reconnecting with people face-to-face.

    Through his participation, Ged was made aware by friends of the FIT BORO programme. He signed up for the programme along with a couple of friends and another 25 like-minded participants. Each week he took part in a combination of exercise sessions and nutritional workshops delivered by coaches from the MFC Foundation. Despite the anxiety of his previous knee injury, Ged`s confidence grew over the course of the programme and he pushed himself to improve, achieve and excel in his goals.

    Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss are sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

    Over the period of the course, Ged regularly set himself goals in order to achieve what he wanted; one example being replacing his favourite food, crisps, with healthier options. Although Ged initially struggled through fear of repercussions of his injury, he quickly proved a popular member of the group, helping to encourage and motivate others.

    Andrew Dixon, a friend of Ged`s said “Ged has done so well on the programme and has really motivated me to stick with the course. It is so much easier doing the workouts with like-minded people, we all look forward to catching up with one another every week. With Ged`s increased fitness levels the only problem now is our Walking football sessions are becoming faster and faster”.

    Although FIT FANS helped Ged lose 13kg to become healthier and more active, it also had secondary effects on reducing his blood pressure.

    Ged said: “I would recommend the FIT BORO programme to anyone as it has been an amazing experience for me and helped to improve my life both physically and mentally. I have found exercising with like-minded individuals really motivating as we are all doing it for the same reasons. I really look forward to seeing everyone every Monday night!”.

    Paul South, the Health Coordinator at MFC Foundation, said “It has been wonderful to see how well Ged has done on the course. Despite reservations due to previous injuries Ged has grown in confidence and really achieved significant changes both physically and mentally. As well as increasing in confidence Ged has also inspired others to do the same, ensuring a team-like mentality on the course whereby people look forward to attending each week”.

    To find out more about your nearest FIT FANS programme,  please contact your local Club using the list below.

      * Please Choose Club 1

      Your information will be sent to a member of staff from your chosen club who will call or email information about FIT FANS. You are not committing to joining FIT FANS just to receiving further information. Your data will not be used for any other information without you consent. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details on how we manage your data

      FIT FANS returned to Deepdale in 2021 with great success

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      FIT FANS returned to Deepdale in 2021 with 59 men and women completing the 12-week programme at Preston North End throughout the last year.

      The programme enables participants to partake in physical activity whilst also educating them on lifestyle habits that can be changed in small, manageable steps to create a sustainable lifestyle. Funded by Sport England through the National Lottery and run at around 40 EFL Clubs across the country. It is a free health programme for men and women aged 35-65 who are looking to lose weight, get fitter and lead a more active life.

      One of the male participants, Vijay Parekh lost just under 10kg in weight and 6cm on his waist measurements, these changes also resulted in a reduction of his BMI. Vijay started his fitness journey prior to enrolling on FIT FANS with Preston North End’s Community and Education Trust but he credits the programme for his ability to lose weight whilst gaining increased knowledge on factors such as calorie intake, portion sizes and step counts.

      He said: “It’s just been brilliant. Seeing the differences between the beginning and now, I’m really happy with it.

      “Physically I’ve seen a lot of difference, mentally as well because losing weight has helped out. Mentally I feel better. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge in the sessions, which has been brilliant, just to help keep losing weight.”

      Carole Baldwin was part of the cohort in summer 2021 but because of the positive effects it has had on her life, she has remained involved in the programme as a volunteer to support others starting out their FIT FANS journey.

      She lost 10.2kg over the 12-week period and 13.7cm on her waist, figures and results that have changed her life.

      She explained: “I’ve absolutely loved it right from day one. My blood pressure is down a lot, I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained confidence, I’m happier than I have been for years and years. I’ve now been given the knowledge and the skills to carry on with this for the rest of my life, and I will, I’ve no intentions of going back to the old Carol, never again, I’m staying like this forever.”

      Average weight loss statistics for the FIT FANS programme are impressive and exceed those of many other programmes. On average women lose well over 3kg and men over 5.5kg by the end of the 12 weeks. We also have evidence that lifestyle change and weight loss is sustained over the following 12 months. More than 90% of men and 85% of women lose weight during the programme with many losing a clinically significant amount.  Our data shows FIT FANS helps people to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time, leading to weight loss, a significant reduction in blood pressure and improvement in self-reported mental wellbeing measures.

      To find out more about FIT FANS click here