We are delighted to provide this update on the impact of the O’Flynn Foundation’s support for our seated exercise group for people living with Parkinson’s.

One of the most significant barriers faced by members of our Parkinson’s group is the cost and practical difficulty of travelling to sessions. For people living with Parkinson’s, reduced mobility, tremors, fatigue, stiffness and balance difficulties can make ordinary public transport challenging and, for some, unsuitable.

The funding has helped contribute towards travel expenses for one gentleman in particular, enabling him to continue attending sessions when the cost of getting to the centre could otherwise have become a barrier. This support has provided greater consistency in his attendance and has helped ensure that he can continue benefiting from the physical activity, social interaction and support provided by the group.

For our wider group of ten members, the funding has provided reassurance that financial pressures will not immediately prevent them from participating. Maintaining regular attendance is particularly important because the benefits of exercise are built over time through consistency.

As well as helping members access the programme, the funding has enabled us to purchase new resources and equipment to further improve our seated exercise sessions.

These resources have allowed our sessions to become more varied and engaging, while giving our staff additional ways to adapt exercises to different abilities and individual needs. We are able to incorporate a wider range of activities focusing on strength, coordination, mobility, balance, flexibility and functional movement.

Having appropriate resources also helps us keep sessions interesting and motivating. This is important for encouraging members to continue attending and to remain active as their condition changes.

Regular participation has helped our members maintain movement and physical function within a safe and supportive environment. Sessions are designed around the needs and abilities of people living with Parkinson’s, with exercises adapted where necessary.

Members continue to work on areas including:

• Mobility and flexibility
• Strength and coordination
• Posture and movement control
• Balance and stability
• Functional movements used in everyday life
• Maintaining independence and confidence
• Reducing the effects of inactivity

The funding has therefore contributed not only to individual sessions, but to members being able to maintain an ongoing routine of physical activity.

The impact of the programme goes beyond exercise. Our sessions provide an important opportunity for people living with Parkinson’s to meet others who understand many of the challenges they experience.

Members regularly spend time talking before and after sessions, sharing experiences and supporting one another. This sense of community is particularly valuable because Parkinson’s can lead to reduced confidence and social isolation.

The group provides a welcoming environment where members can participate at their own pace without feeling judged. The friendships and peer support developed through the sessions are an important part of the programme.

The overall aim of our programme is to help people living with Parkinson’s remain active, connected and independent for as long as possible.

The O’Flynn Foundation’s funding has helped us address two important areas that can affect this: access and quality. By helping with travel costs and enabling us to purchase additional resources, the funding has allowed members to attend more consistently while helping us deliver sessions that are responsive to their needs.

For the ten members supported, this means more than simply attending an exercise class. It means having a regular reason to leave the house, meet other people, remain physically active and work towards maintaining their independence.

We are extremely grateful to the O’Flynn Foundation for recognising the importance of supporting people living with Parkinson’s.

The funding has provided practical assistance to members while also strengthening the programme itself. The new resources will continue to be used within future sessions, creating a lasting benefit beyond the initial period of funding.

We have seen how removing relatively small financial barriers can make a significant difference to an individual's ability to remain engaged. For the gentleman receiving support with travel expenses, in particular, this assistance has helped him continue accessing a programme that contributes to his physical and social wellbeing.

We hope to continue building on this progress and supporting our members to remain active, independent and socially connected.

Thank you to the O’Flynn Foundation for investing in our members and helping us make a lasting difference to people living with Parkinson’s in our community.

The funding has made a meaningful difference to ten members of our group, helping to remove financial barriers that could otherwise prevent them from attending regularly. It has enabled participants to continue accessing a safe, supportive and targeted exercise programme while also allowing us to invest in new resources that have enhanced the quality and variety of our sessions.