What you’ve been doing for Sport Relief

ARMCHAIR EXERCISE Margaret Elder and Kathleen Falkinder with activities coordinator Elaine Wilson at Fieldhead Park

Residents of Fieldhead Park nursing home didn’t let age get in the way of getting active.

Twenty residents, aged between 74 and 104, took part in armchair exercises and a circuit around the home in Kitson Hill Road, Mirfield. Staff also did a nine mile walk to sister home Hartshead Manor and back.

More than £400 has been raised and the money is still coming in. And 20 residents from the Hollybank Trust – all of whom have profound disabilities and complex needs – tried to swim or walk 60 lengths of the hydrotherapy pool.

Hollybank physiotherapist Victoria Rathbone came up with the idea. She said: “I wanted to give them a fresh challenge to invigorate them and focus their attention, and doing a challenge for Sport Relief fit the bill.

“We wanted to give them an achievable target so I thought we would try to collectively do 60 lengths because it’s Hollybank’s 60th anniversary this year.

“Just being in the water physically challenges our adults, particularly the ones who are more able. It’s a good environment for stretching out muscles. Some of our residents who can’t walk on land can walk with the support the water gives them in the pool.

“People across the country were taking on tough challenges for Sport Relief but for our residents, every day is a tough challenge. We are very proud of what they all achieve on a daily basis.”

Pupils at St John’s Infant School ran two kilometres between them in the playground with teachers and parents cheering them on. Money is still coming in,but they hope to have raised £300.

Sport Relief, which took place last Friday, raised over £51m for disadvantaged people in the UK and the world.