Living and feeling better can start with a simple step-connecting. Health Connections Mendip is provided by your Mendip GP practices to improve your health and wellbeing.
Active living exercise class designed for older people to help keep active. It incorporates a mix of seated and standing exercises. Mondays 1.45pm – 2.45pm Christchurch Hall, Park Road, Frome BA11 1EU. Cost £5:00
Strong & Steady sessions are specially designed for people over 60 to help reduce falls and improve balance, strength and confidence. Individuals can refer themselves by calling Age UK Somerset on the number below. A short health questionnaire will need to be completed, these forms can be sourced from the link below or from a Healthcare Professional. Cost: £5.00
Classes in Mendip:
Frome – Christchurch Parish Hall, Park Rd, BA11 1EU, Mondays
Wells – Town Hall, Market Place, BA5 2RB, Thursdays
Link to the website for exercises you can try in a chair at your own home, which have been designed in collaboration with wellbeing organisation Oomph!, as part of a programme developed to encourage people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions to become more active.
Cycling can help improve people’s health and wellbeing but many people are put off using a bicycle in Frome because of the hills. So Frome now has available a couple of electric power assist bicycles (ebikes) that helps to reduce the strain of cycling up hills and makes cycling more fun.
Provided by Frome Town Council and available at Pronto Bike Shop Tuesday – Saturday 9am – 5pm for either half day (£6) or whole day (£12) hire.
Is a low income stopping you from accessing a bicycle? Get a bike voucher worth £100 from Life Cycle UK. Low-income Somerset residents can get £100 off a quality refurbished bike from our local partners, On Your Bike. A great way to stay healthy and save money on transport. For more information please visit Life Cycle’s website below.
* Please note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic – these classes are currently online *
There is a cardiac rehab session at Wells Town Hall on Wednesdays 9am – 12.30pm.
For more information please use the number below.
Participants borrow an ebike for four weeks and attend up to six hours of guided Cycle Together rides during this period. The loan comes with a lock, lights, helmet, panniers and high vis. The loan and classes are completely free, funded by the National Lottery for Frome residents. Participants must be able to ride a bike to join.
Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) has a directory that lists exercise and sports groups and is dedicated to increasing the health and happiness of residents in Somerset through physical activity and sport.
Managed by SASP, a new women’s project has been launched – In It Together – which offers an array of activities for women aged 16+ across Somerset. Please see In It Together website below for details of their classes.
For up-to-date information on the next course visit their website link below. Please use the email below to register your interest.
Get Active Together aims to offer opportunities for families within Somerset to take part in physical activities together, with disabled and non-disabled siblings sharing experiences and having fun together.
The sessions are for children aged 8 – 18 years, and include multi sports activities (including Boccia, Soft Tip Archery, Laser Pistol Shooting, Dodgeball and Cricket) as well as outdoor sessions (including Kayaking, Axe Throwing, Paddle Boarding, Bush Camp and Tree Climbing).
Sessions will take place every fortnight (Saturdays) as well as additional sessions in the school holidays.
A weekly wellbeing walk led by the community.
Leaves St John’s Church every Monday at 12pm, after the Talking Cafe.
Walks are around the town/local area.
A fun opportunity to get out in nature, get fit, meet new people, take part in practical conservation, and grow local food with a new social enterprise, Frome Field 2 Fork.
Sundays 10am till 1pm in Frome. No experience is necessary, guidance is provided and all questions are welcomed! Work at your own pace in a relaxed environment and choose between activities suited to all levels of fitness. Typical activities include sowing seeds, planting, weeding or pruning, creating no-dig veg beds, digging up brambles, constructing new garden features, hedgerow harvesting and building bug hotels.
Harry’s Hydro is a hydrotherapy pool based in Frome.
Individual led sessions are available. Other people will be in the pool at the same time doing their own exercises. Cost per session is £9 for an initial session then £90 for ten sessions to be paid in advance if wishing to continue.
You can also join hydrotherapy group exercise classes. A taster session costs £10. Future sessions need to be booked in groups of 10 and paid for in advance.
For more information and to book the hydrotherapy pool, please follow the link to the contact page of their website below.
*this is an online course – please contact Jo on 07967 023 406 for joining instructions*
These gentle exercise classes are held Wednesdays 10am – 11am. Cost £5.00
Cardiac Rehab community exercise group classes are aimed at people who have experienced a heart event. Wednesdays at 5PM– Shepton Mallet Leisure Centre, 11 Charlton Rd, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5PG.
For further information please contact Jo Smith on the number below;
Do you want to move more and feel healthier? Do you want to meet others and look at topics such as sleep, exercise, healthy eating, social and emotional wellbeing? If so, join in with this rolling programme.
Coleford: On Tuesdays 2:30pm-3:30pm running for 6 weeks at a time. The Mendip Room, Mendip Country Practice, Church Street, Coleford, Radstock, BA3 5NQ. Please contact the Health Connections team to register for the next available programme.
Frome: This is known as Be Healthy, Be Happy in Frome, Tuesdays 10.30am – 11:30am, Frome Medical Practice, Enos Way, BA11 2FH. Please contact the Health Connections team to register for the next available programme.
Shepton Mallet: On Thursdays 10.30 – 11.30 running for 7 weeks at a time. The Conference Room, Shape Mendip Complex, Cannards Grave Rd, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BT. Please contact the Health Connections team to register for the next available programme.
Wells: On Tuesdays 14:00-15:00 running for 7 weeks at a time. Please contact the Health Connections team to register for the next available programme.
To find out more about the Healthy Lifestyles Programme please ring the number below.
The Heritage Café runs every third Friday of the month from 11:00am – 12:00pm at The Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Frome, BA11 1BE.
It’s a place to come and find out what heritage activities are going on in the local area, organisations you can become involved with, and how heritage can be beneficial for your health and well-being.
Everyone is welcome so no need to book in advance.
Dates for 2023: 16th June, 21st July, 18th August, 15th September, 20th October, 17th November & 15th December.
The In It Together Somerset womens’ project offers exercise and sports activities for women. The project aims to increase activity levels in any women of any age (16+) in Somerset through community based exercise and sports activities.
For the full programme of activities and classes please visit the website for up to date information.
Anyone who has questions and enquiries please contact Charlotte Norman, Project Lead.
Love to Move is a seated movement to music program providing physical, emotional and cognitive benefits designed to get older people, especially people living with dementia to move more and have fun. This group helps carers have a bit of fun with their partners or friends who are living with dementia outside of their home environment.
Mondays 10am – 11.15am at Housing21, Douglas Yates Court, Coleford, BA3 5PD
Tuesdays 11am – 12.15pm at The Art Bank, 13 High Street, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5AA
**Please note that this group will not run during June 2023**
£4 person and £1 for assisting carers.
This is an online platform where you can find out about local cycling projects, track your cycling, set goals and find out about local rides. Love to Ride has been designed with behaviour change principles, techniques and tools at its core. This is to ensure that our approaches are as effective as possible at encouraging cycling. “We get more people cycling using our online platform, local promotion and good ol’ human interaction.”
Being a healthy weight can sometimes be complicated. You may need different kinds of support and information to achieve a weight that is healthy for you.
Mendip Health Walks are devised to help you to feel good, to have more energy, to sleep better and to manage your weight. All walks are free of charge and are led by a team of Volunteer Walk Leaders.
There is now no need to book onto any of the walks, you can just go along and complete a form at the start point. For full details on locations, times and walk lengths please visit SASP’s website.
Parkruns are free, weekly, community events all around the world. Saturday mornings events are 5k and take place in parks and open spaces. Parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Register for free on the parkrun website before your first visit. There is a simple form to complete and a barcode to printout. Local events listed below.
Frome-The Old Showfield parkrun 5km run every Saturday at 9am. The Old Showfield, off Rodden Road, Frome, BA11 2AH (nearest postcode). Email theoldshowfield@parkrun.com
Shepton Mallet parkrun : 5km run every Saturday at 9am. Collett Park, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5PJ. Email sheptonmallet@parkrun.com
Southwick County parkrun: 5km run every Saturday at 9am. Southwick Country Park, Frome Road, Southwick, Nr Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 9QD. Email southwickcountrypark@parkrun.com
Street parkrun 5k run every Saturday at 9am at Strode College sports fields. Email street@parkrun.com
Shepton walks is run entirely by volunteers promoting walks in and around Shepton Mallet and the surrounding villages.
Become a Member of Shepton Walks. You can choose how much you’d like to pay to join. As a member you’ll be able to join in with regular walks for free and enjoy preferential booking for all of the Festival programme and other special events. Twice a year, in summer and winter, social events are arranged, including a walk, just for members.
Please visit the website below for further information where you will find details of planned walks;
Improve your physical and mental health with a weekly, high quality ballet class for those aged 55 and over, helping to improve your mobility, posture, coordination and energy levels.
Delivered by a Royal Academy-trained teacher, who adapts ballet techniques to respond to the different needs of participants across a broad range of ages. No previous experience required.
Participants will need approx. 2 metres of space around them and use of a chair or other support. Please wear loose clothing with socks or bare feet.
Classes take place online at £5 per session. There is also 1:1 support available over the phone to help participants access the classes. For further details please contact the Mark Bruce Company as below.
These fun sessions are for people with disabilities and are delivered by qualifies coaches.
Venue: Strode College 3G Astro Pitch, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AB
When: Every Monday evening 5pm – 6pm
Cost: Free
Age 16+
Adapting the Levels is a partnership project dedicated to empower those who live and work on the Somerset Levels to take action on Climate Adaption.
They have recently launched a new mobile app
The Somerset Wellbeing and Recovery College offers opportunities to learn about mental health and recovery by providing a unique curriculum designed to increase your knowledge, understanding and skills to equip you with the tools to live a meaningful, productive and fulfilling life.
Our students are people with lived experience of mental health difficulties who wish to learn to live well, for their family and friends, and the professionals who support them. We do not take referrals from clinicians and our students do not have to be using mental health services to access any of our courses.
All our courses are free and are listed on our website. They take place across Somerset.
COVID-19 Update: Please note due to current coronavirus restrictions this service may be affected. Please check with the service provider.
We teach people with health issues and we teach people that need exercise and relaxation. The Tai Chi we teach, Shibashi, can be done standing or sitting– for further information on the Tai Chi classes please contact the class instructor. List of classes correct as of April 2023:
Oakhill: Monday 2.00pm – 3.00pm Oakhill Village Hall. Contact: Jo Webb on 07730 397396
Castle Cary: Wednesday 2.00pm – 3.00pm Caryford Hall, Maggs Lane Ansford BA7 7JJ. Contact Jo Webb on 07730 397396
Friday 10.00am-11.00am Scout Hut, Castle Cary. Contact: Jo on 07730 397396
Friday 11.30am – 12.30pm Caryford Hall, Maggs Lane Ansford BA7 7JJ. Contact Jo Webb on 07730 397396
Croscombe: Monday 10.30am-11.30am in Croscombe Village Hall, Wells BA5 3RA Contact: Jan on 01749 346774.
Dinder: Tuesday 10.00am-11.00am Class at Dinder Village Hall, North of Church. BA5 3PE. Contact: John on 01749 676738.
Dinder: Tuesday 11.30am-12.30pm Class at Dinder Village Hall, north of Church BA5 3PE. Contact Paul on 01749 346774.
Frome: Friday 2.00pm-3.00pm and also 3.30-4.30pm at Frome Cricket Club, 30 Rodden Road, BA11 2AH. Contact: Denise on 07941 796635 or email dmtaichi@btinternet.com £5.00 per class
Glastonbury: Tuesday 10.30am-11.30am at Red Brick Building, Glastonbury, BA6 9FT. Contact Beith on 01458 898997.
Shepton Mallet: Thursday 12.30pm- 1.30pm at St Michaels Church, Park Road, Shepton Mallet. Contact: Ruth on 01749 342508.
South Horrington: Friday 11.00am-12.00pm at Heads Up, Upper Breach, BA5 3QG.
Wells: Friday 2.30pm – 3.30pm Class at Connect Centre Portway, BA5 2BE. Contact Mike on 01749 677277.
Cost: Classes from £5 per session. Contact the instructor to confirm for each class.
Tai Chi for Wellbeing can be done seated if required. It is suitable for all ages and health issues. Although a regular class it welcomes newcomers and visitors who may only want one or two classes.
Every Thursday at 11 -12 at the Bishops Palace Wells, outside when possible. Cost is a suggested £5 donation to St Margaret’s Hospice.
2nd & 4th Monday every month 10.30-11.30 at Wells Library. Free taster
Mondays 2-3 pm at Henton Village Hall. Pay as you go £5
Online class every Tuesday at 11 – 12. £4. Please see website for details.
The Revive Sports Programme gives people aged 18+, who are undertaking their journey to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction (or other mental health challenges), the chance to get active and enjoy some new physical activity experiences. It is also suitable for those who are temporarily sober or drug free to participate in. To join there’s a simple nomination form for the participants to fill out. This can be done in advance or completed on the day of joining. Call Gareth John on the number below to find out how to take part.
Session Details: Revive Drop In. Frome Youth and Community Centre. Fridays 4pm – 5pm
Walking Football is designed to help people keep an active lifestyle irrespective of their age, as well as getting those back playing football who perhaps had to stop due to injuries. Variations and game adaptations can be made to suit participants’ needs and capabilities. Play the game you love but reduce the chances of injury. It’s a great way to keep fit, learn skills, have fun and socialise all at the same time! Sessions held in Frome, Shepton Mallet and Street. Organised by Somerset FA, Charles Lewin House, 5-10 Landmark House, Wirral Road, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9FR