News & Media Releases
Sport Bay of Plenty Expands ‘Keep on your Feet’ Programme
At Sport Bay of Plenty we believe movement should be for everyone. Our Keep on your Feet programme, supporting strength and balance class provision in the region, is a key tenet toward embodying that philosophy.
Now, thanks to continued backing from ACC, Sport Bay of Plenty will be extending their reach into Rotorua, Taupō, Turangi and the surrounding area.
Keep on your Feet is part of the nationwide ‘Live Stronger for Longer’ Falls Prevention initiative funded by ACC. The programme aims to create access to approved community group strength and balance classes across the region, as part of a nation-wide drive to reduce falls and fractures, and support older people to ‘live stronger for longer’.
Sport Bay of Plenty has been providing Keep on your Feet services to our Western and Eastern Bay of Plenty communities since 2017. Our impact has been wide reaching, with over 5000 individuals over the age of 65 partaking in a strength and balance class.
Provision in the Western and Eastern Bay will now continue, but from July 1 Sport Bay of Plenty will also be looking to have a similar impact in the Lakes region – incorporating Rotorua, Taupo, Turangi and the surrounding area.
In addition to the mahi and connections already established in the Bay of Plenty, this responsiblity allows us to develop relationships with new communities across the motu, supporting them with falls prevention accreditation, support, resourcing and advocacy.
Sport Bay of Plenty’s Community Programmes Project Leader, Rachel Evans, has been overseeing the expansion and is looking forward to spreading the impact of the Keep on your Feet programme.
“We are excited to be expanding into the Lakes district,” says Rachel.
“We are enjoying meeting with new communities, educating on the importance of strength and balance for falls prevention, and being able to support local exercise providers and participants on their falls prevention journeys.”
Work is already underway with Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ to establish a referral pathway for falls prevention in the Lakes district, to allow a streamlined process to support older people to access community classes.
Recruitment is ongoing for a full time coordinator to join our Sport Bay of Plenty whānau who can encaspulate the values of our organisation while supporting the exciting growth of the Keep on your Feet initiative.
