Active Torridge to provide funded Health Interventions for Torridge residents

Active Torridge have been awarded funding to deliver a 12-month health intervention scheme for 100 local patients.

The leisure organisation run centres throughout the Torridge district on behalf of Torridge District Council including in Northam, Holsworthy and Torrington and will be working in partnership with local NHS Social Prescribers to provide access to the Health Intervention scheme.

Patients will be prescribed the scheme by their GP surgery, based on a specified criteria with the focus on providing support to improve their health before they reach a stage where they might require more complex medical treatment.

There is also a focus on engaging with those people who currently would struggle to access leisure facilities due to financial barriers.

The £37,000 funding was provided as part of the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund which was introduced to reduce the spread of coronavirus but also to support local public health.

Matthew Wright, Head of Operations at Active Torridge said: "It’s fantastic news to have been awarded the funding and to be able to support the local community. We are already delivering a successful Exercise Referral programme within our centres and these health interventions further highlight the ongoing transition of leisure centres into health and wellbeing facilitators rather than purely catering for sport and fitness. We already have strong relationships with clinical partners in the NHS and this project will aim to further strengthen and expand on these, whilst improving our engagement with those harder to reach user groups."

For more information on Active Torridge the centre’s they manage, and available activities and facilities please visit: www.activetorridge.co.uk