Visit the East Northants area Health and Wellbeing Festival 2021 this half-term

11 October 2021

North Northamptonshire Council is joining forces with local leisure centres, sports clubs, healthcare organisations and wellbeing experts to deliver the East Northants Health and Wellbeing Festival this October half-term holiday. This week-long celebration of health and wellbeing will run from Monday 25 to Sunday 31 October.

The festival will offer residents the opportunity to participate in a wide range of physical health and mental wellbeing activities that are available across North Northants. These activities will take place in Rushden, Kings Cliffe, Thrapston, Stanwick, Nassington, Irthlingborough, Woodford, Higham Ferrers, Raunds and Easton-On-The-Hill.

The packed timetable of activities, classes and clubs has been carefully designed to appeal to a wide range of age groups, abilities and interest areas. Some of the activities will require a payment, but many of the activities will be free to join.

The highlights include:

• Jumping Jax and Little Splashers sessions (for babies and pre-schoolers).
• Little Kickers football classes (18 months to 7 years).
• 2k Junior parkrun (4-14 years).
• Peterborough United Foundation football camp (5-11 years).
• R2R Tennis camp (5-12 years).
• Premier League Kicks free football coaching (7-13-years).
• Premier League Kicks free disability football coaching (8-18-years).
• Eclipse Mini Gym gymnastics. 
• Children’s Wellbeing and Mindfulness Trail.
• Over 50s walking netball, walking football and racquet ball sports.
• Chair-based Yoga and Otago (for older persons).
• Family swims, adult swimming lessons, Aqua Aerobics, Aqua Zumba.
• Wellbeing walks, health walks with a Herbal Botanist, Good Mood Café. 
• Yoga, Pilates, Yogalates.
• Group exercise sessions: Boot camp, Spin classes, Clubbercise, Legs Bums and Tums.
• Big Bike Revival Dr Bike sessions - helping you ensure your bike is safe to ride – and family guided bike rides along the Greenway to help you test out your repaired bike.

The festival will also feature two free-of-charge, Halloween-themed open days where local partners will be offering support and advice on leading a healthy and active lifestyle. 

Although individual events will start on Monday 25 October, the first open day is at The Pemberton Centre in Rushden on Wednesday 27 October  from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm. Many different activities will be on offer, all for free, including table tennis, badminton and the precision ball sport of boccia . Partners will be giving advice on healthy eating, stopping smoking and offering health MOTs. There will be an opportunity to take part in some fun, healthy food preparation with a Halloween theme. Residents can access support with mental health experts and take part in a mindfulness session. A Halloween Xplorer event will also take place around Hall Park where the last marker can be found in the Pemberton Centre, enabling participants to claim their Halloween-themed prize at the leisure centre.

The second open day is at KC Active in Kings Cliffe on Saturday 30 October from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm. Residents are invited to take part in the free activities on offer, including tennis, walking football and archery. The gym will be open for people to visit, with taster exercise classes, a Hatha Yoga session and a Wellbeing Walk also on offer. The local Integrated Neighbourhood Team will be in attendance to provide advice on their support services, and Tindersticks CIC will be hosting art and craft workshops where children can join in with clay footprint making and pine cone bird feeders.

The East Northants area Health and Wellbeing Festival is anticipated to be a great way to help families keep their children entertained this half-term. It also presents an opportunity for residents to engage in a healthier and more active lifestyle, and the prospect of meeting like-minded individuals in a new social setting.

As a Chartered Physiotherapist and health care professional, I deeply understand how important it is for us all to take care of our own health and wellbeing.

The East Northants Health and Wellbeing Festival offers a comprehensive timetable of activities, classes and clubs to help improve physical health and mental wellbeing.

This is a great opportunity for residents to connect with their local health and wellbeing community.Councillor Helen Harrison, Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, North Northamptonshire Council

Following the tremendously successful Health and Wellbeing Festivals in Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough this year, we are delighted to be able to deliver this event in the East Northants area.

I am extremely thankful to all the organisations involved for joining forces with us to make this festival possible.
Councillor Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council