EVERYONE Active is encouraging a greater number of over 60s to become physically and mentally active across North West Leicestershire, with the launch of its Age is Just a Number campaign.

Now in its fourth year, the campaign celebrates the senior demographic by showcasing their fitness stories and proving what can be achieved by staying active into later life. 

It launched on October 5 – the same weekend as Silver Sunday, the national day for older people – and will run until Sunday, November 17.

Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre and Ashby Leisure Centre and Lido, run by award-winning operator Everyone Active in partnership with North West Leicestershire District Council, are encouraging the older generation to visit their local centre and enjoy the wide range of activities on offer. 

Everyone Active supports older people to exercise across the country throughout the year, with regular dedicated senior activity sessions already seeing 18,000 attendances each month.

To help older people to get active, Everyone Active has spoken to some of its local senior members and heard just how transformative exercise can be.

Whether it is for weight loss, recovery from injury, improved mobility, fitness or social reasons, there is so much that exercise can do to improve quality of life. 

Ashby Leisure Centre at Hood Park. Photo: Instantstreetview.com

Lori Power, 66, has been teaching exercise classes for an incredible 43 years.

She currently teaches six classes at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre, including Metafit and core fitness.

Lori said: "I love my job and the buzz it gives. I thrive on people's responses, both to the exercise routines and also the progress I witness when people attend regularly. 

"I always want my classes to be fun. I love watching people enjoy themselves, forgetting for a while that they are keeping themselves in a better state of health. 

"Age is not a barrier to keeping yourself fit. Not exercising is the barrier – that will age you quicker. Never say 'it's too late' or 'I'm too old for this now'.

"We are all capable of doing something if we have the mindset. I have 70 and 80-year-olds in my classes. It's also very important in keeping your mood and your mind in a good place. I can't think of any reason not to exercise."

Duncan Gibb, Everyone Active's contract manager, added: "We are proud to offer our members a friendly and welcoming environment that motivates people of all ages to get active. 

"Maintaining physical activity and keeping socially active is vitally important for older people in the local community. Lori is a prime example of that, and we also take a huge amount of pride in the fact we have so many active mature years users within our centres.

"This campaign aims to inspire people to try a new activity or engage in simple exercises each week at home, helping people of all abilities discover the different ways they can enjoy exercise."

With more than 230 centres across the country, Everyone Active offers activities for all ages, as well as specialised classes designed to appeal to older people.

By signing up here, people can find out more about local senior sessions and receive inspirational videos, as well as being in with a chance to win a six-month adult membership.

You can see some of the videos here.