About the BodyFocus Support Group
The BodyFocus Support Group is a volunteer non-profit making organisation which seeks funds to initiate/support new/existing health related self help exercise classes.
The aim of the organisation is to facilitate and/or support the provision of specialised health related exercise classes which are not directly supported or provided by Statutory Organisations e.g. NHS, Local Authority.
The BodyFocus Support Group includes user members from each of the specialised classes run under the name of BodyFocus/BodyFocus Support Group as well as a health advisor, an exercise advisor (Terri) and an independent person.
The exercise classes provide health related self help opportunities for the local community (SE Hampshire area) where a need is demonstrated and assistance is required or the class would not otherwise be viable.
We were founded in October 2009 and to date have supported:
- Defibrillator for the Healthy Hearts Cardiac Rehab classes
- Set up the HAMSPFit exercise classes for amputees with the help of a grant from the BIG Lottery Fund
- Supported the creation of Pulmonary Rehab Maintenance Exercise classes
- Provided training and support across Hampshire for 9 Instructors to teach Exercise following Stroke sessions with a grant from the BIG Lottery Fund
- Funded training costs for an instructor to teach Cardiac Rehabilitation classes.
Background
Terri writes:
For many years I have delivered a range of health related exercise classes as well as general fitness classes under the name of BodyFocus. The demand for more specialist health related exercise classes is growing and the continual development of specialist exercise training is resulting in an ever increasing and diverse range of specialised classes.
Getting trained, setting up and running specialised classes is very time consuming and expensive, especially where specialist equipment and training is concerned, and my funds and income are not adequate to cover all of these costs.
The local NHS services are not able to support the
development and running of health related exercise classes beyond the rehabilitation services provided. Local Authorities can be very helpful if they have funding available, however, this is often time limited and focused on a larger, more general population.
In 2009 new guidance was circulated for the provision of community based Cardiac Rehabilitation. The guidance stated that the providers of these classes should have access to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at all times during the class. Due to the expense of these machines, this guidance threatened the provision of the cardiac rehabilitation classes that I teach.
Fortunately for me (and the participants of the classes) one of the class members is a Freemason and made a successful application to them on behalf of BodyFocus for funds to cover the cost of the Defibrillator. However, as an individual, I could not receive the funds.
As a business or as an individual I cannot apply for funding to support health related exercise classes, however, funding is available to non-profit making and fundraising organisations and charities.
With this in mind the BodyFocus Support Group was set up as a Constituted Fund-raising Organisation with Charitable Objectives to facilitate the operation of local specialised health related exercise classes.
This organisation not only supported me in the delivery of my cardiac rehabilitation classes, but now also extends to other exercise teachers and facilities wishing to run classes to meet the needs of specialised populations.
The BodyFocus Support Group now has a Committee of 7 people and we meet on a regular basis. Keep an eye on this website for news of new developments.
If you wish to know more about the BodyFocus Support Group, please call or e-mail me.