CHAPS - delivered by Magna Vitae

He would often come out with some amazing

facts or come out with names and places from years ago. He told me the sessions were enjoyable and he looked forward to them each week.” - Sporting Pinks Participant

During out chats, I found out he had played

for the youth side of Sheffield United which was called Oak Folds which would have been around 1947. He told me how they would play in old football shirts of the Sheffield United side.” - Sporting Pinks Participant

He wanted to give Sporting Memories group

a go, and they seem to have some good interaction especially when it came to remembering old times. He told me afterwards ‘I’ve really enjoyed myself today’.” - Sporting Memories Participant

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About the CHAPS Project

CHAPS (Community Health Activity Project) provided free activities, support and opportunities for local men over 50 to meet new people. Through the programme, the Magna Vitae Community team aimed to provide support and guidance; connect and empower individuals and ultimately reduce loneliness and isolation in Mablethorpe and Skegness.

Some of the CHAPS sessions have included cooking workshops, wellbeing sessions, badminton, indoor bowls, walking football, CHAPS Breakfast Club and the Platform 50 Men’s Gym Takeover. Sport is a great conversation starter and whereas men may be put off by some community activities, if someone has an interest in either current sporting news or something from years ago, the common interest may be enough to encourage them to engage in activities.

If sports were more your thing, CHAPS has delivered Sporting Memories sessions. with support from The Sporting Memories Foundation. These sessions were a perfect place to meet fellow sports fans, reminisce about sports old and new and enjoy a free bite to eat.

As this project was being delivered during the Covid-19 Pandemic, activities and sessions had to be adapted to suite the needs of the participants while still adhering to the lockdown rules.

“We have worked with partners to help develop a different ‘virtual’ offer which so far has included an online quiz, access to the Sporting Memories ‘Sporting Pink’ (newsletter) and online sporting memories video clips. Initially the target beneficiaries were men already attending CHAPS sessions in Mablethorpe and Skegness. We are now aiming to engage with a wider audience and have already been able to engage with the husbands of the (Magna Vitae) Fitness Food and Friends participants as well as wider work through social media engagement and participants of the ‘Men Do’ project (ran by Carers First another programme delivery project).” - CHAPS Delivery Officer

The CHAPS team have worked closely with TED to create a Toolkit that gives an insight into creating, maintaining and evaluating a project such as this.

CHAPS Platform 50 Gym Takeover

This report highlights learning from the TED programme on Magna Vitae’s CHAPS Platform 50, Men’s Gym Takeover sessions at The Station Sports Centre, Mablethorpe…

Adaptation

During various stages of COVID 19, from pandemic outbreak, to shielding and distancing, and then a gradual re-introduction of place-based (but socially distanced)

CHAPS Cooking

Looking at the profile of the group many of those attending have spoken of their history of mental health problems and how they see this cooking group as part of their personal recovery.

CHAPS Sporting Pinks

During the Covid-19 lock down period we were unable to meet for our Sporting Memories sessions and new groups we had planned couldn’t be formed either.

Good to see that some of the CHAPS participants

are now phoning me during the week and not always waiting for my weekly call. It indicates that they feel relaxed enough to do this and that they don’t have to phone me for anything but just to have a chat. One of the CHAPS had completed the Grand National quiz we posted on the website and then rang me to reminisce about the event” - CHAPS Delivery Officer

Really liked this calm and relaxed delivery, I felt

happy to just watch for most of the time and then near the end had a go as I felt no one was judging me. It was a really good session and helped me switch off from my anxieties. Great how we were able to take a portion of the cooking home.” - CHAPS Cooking Participant

You know I didn’t think I would find myself back

in a gym again, not with my knees. Then I came here and what do you know I’m doing it again. I’ve even worked up to using the running machine…Arthritis in my knees, it’s what getting old does to you. It’s good here because we can use everything [all the facilities] and it’s not busy and we can take our time about it.” - CHAPS Over 50s Gym Takeover