Buckinghamshire Parkinson's communities encouraged to try new Moving Forward exercise programme

Moving Forward is a new monthly online programme which is available for anyone living with Parkinson’s who is inactive or new to exercise classes following their diagnosis.

Moving Forward is helping more people with Parkinson's get active in autumn and winter | Parkinson's UK

placeholder image — Moving Forward is helping more people with Parkinson's get active in autumn and winter | Parkinson's UK

The new pilot programme is set to launch in September and run until December, with the aim of getting more people with Parkinson’s moving together in a fun and engaging way.

As part of the programme, participants will also receive four months’ free access to Brand Inc Fitness’s online platform, which provides a wide range of exercise videos that can be accessed at home, allowing people to choose activities that suit their interests and ability.

Delivered by experienced instructor and founder of Brand Inc Fitness, Richard Pinchen, each session focuses on targeting areas associated with Parkinson’s and aims to get more people moving with the condition and helping participants build confidence in being active.

All four sessions are fully adaptable and the movements can be done either in a standing or seated position, with participants recommended to take the activities at their own pace.

The new online programme is limited to 20 places for anyone living with Parkinson’s and it is recommended to register in plenty of time as demand is likely to be high.

The monthly sessions take place on Wednesdays from 1pm to 2pm on the following dates:

28 October
25 November
16 December

Each session focuses on a key area of exercise and wellbeing, including:

Session one: “Strong Foundations, Stronger You”. Building core strength, posture and stability.
Session two: “Whole Body Movement”. A full-body session combining strength, mobility and wellbeing.
Session three: “Move & Mobilise Through Life”. Improving flexibility, mobility and ease of movement.
Session four: “Strength for Everyday Life”. Functional exercises to support daily activities.

Richard Pinchen, Founder of Brand Inc Fitness, said:
“I believe fitness should be accessible to EVERY Body. Working with Parkinson’s UK gives us a fantastic opportunity to help more people stay active, build confidence and enjoy the benefits of regular movement in a way that works for them.

“The monthly Live sessions supported by free access to the Inclusive Online Training Programme means people can exercise at home, at their own pace and at a time that suits them. With the colder, darker months approaching, I hope it gives people another simple and accessible way to keep moving between the live sessions.”

Jed Parsons, Physical Activity Delivery Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said:

“We know that being physically active can play an important role in helping people with Parkinson’s manage their condition, but we also know that getting started can be a real challenge, particularly for people who have been inactive or are new to exercise.

“Moving Forward is about breaking down some of those barriers and giving people a friendly, supportive and accessible way to start moving more from the comfort of their own home.

“We hope the programme will help people build confidence, discover activities they enjoy and encourage them to continue being active.”

Being active can be one of the best ways to live well with Parkinson’s and can have some of the following benefits: