Boccia Tournament set for Energise on 1st October
City of York Council in partnership with Sporting Memories is hosting a Boccia Tournament for anyone over the age of 50 on 1 October to coincide with Older People’s Day at Energise Leisure Centre.
This tournament is a great way to get active and for people to share their Sporting Memories at the same time. We hope this will help to reignite connections between generations to combat the effects of dementia, depression and loneliness.
Sporting Memories will also be on hand throughout the day to record people’s favourite sporting memories with the aim of engaging them in social activities and helping them to recall memories of watching or playing sport. By sharing memories of sporting moments and tapping into a passion for sport, Sporting Memories helps people to connect with others and with their past, reawakening positive thoughts and feelings.
Boccia sees teams of up to three players throw leather balls, coloured red or blue, as close as they can to a white target ball, or jack. The tournament will take place on Saturday 1 October from 11am-2pm at Energise Leisure Centre. Entry is £3 per a person with £1 being donated to Sporting Memories. To register individually or as a team of three contact the council’s Yorwellbeing service on 01904 551431 or email hannah.higinson@york.gov.uk
For more information about sports and physical activities for people aged over 50 visit www.york.gov.uk/engage
New fitness sessions for those aged 50+ launched in York
Interested residents will be able to experience a wide range of sports from cardio tennis to Nordic Walking.
There is a sport or activity to cater for all tastes in the Eng-age 50+ Festival programme with gliding, indoor bowls and walking football among many of those on offer.
The festival is a great opportunity for people to come along, try something new and be active in a fun and engaging way.
The games present a convenient and low cost opportunity for residents to try a number of different sports and activities. Now in its fifth year, the 50+ Games offers 33 different sessions where individuals can participate in all activities without the need for a friend or partner to come along too, making it a great way to meet new people.
The Eng-age 50+ games are presented in partnership with the council’s YorWellbeing Service alongside the city’s voluntary and community sports sector.
For more information contact the YorWellbeing team on 01904 553377. To view the programme of events visit www.yorkassembly.org.uk/festival
Plan for mental health hospital at Lowfields abandoned
The NHS have withdrawn a suggestion that a replacement hospital for Bootham Park should be built on the former Lowfields school site.
The proposal brought a strong reaction from local residents who pointed out that access to Lowfields was only available through a tightly populated residential area. Increased traffic – potentially 24/7 – would have had an adverse effect on the local environment.
In a poll conducted by local LibDem Councillors in July, 57% rejected the idea. Many pointed out that City centre sites offered much better transport links for both staff and patients. Residents favoured the provision of accommodation aimed at older people on the footprint of the former secondary school.
Now we understand that the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust are focusing their hospital search on three locations. They are the existing Bootham Park Hospital site, a site near Clifton Park Hospital off Shipton Road, and the former Vickers and Bio-Rad factory site in Haxby Road.
The Councils formal consultation on the future of the Lowfields school site is due to commence in October.
It is likely that there will be an exhibition of proposals at the Acomb Library. before a decision is taken by the Council’s Executive on 8th December.
Many residents also took the opportunity to object to the Council’s plans to build on the Lowfields sports fields when responding to the recent consultation on the Local Plan.
They pointed out that building on football pitches was contrary to national policies and would leave minimal amounts of green space in the nearby estates.