Issue Number 1 - March 2025

Welcome to the first edition of the Weymouth and Portland newsletter, created with input from a variety of local organisations including Active Dorset, the Dorset Mental Health Forum, Dorset Council and the Weymouth & Portland Primary Care Network (PCN).

The idea? To encourage us to have regular discussions among friends, families and neighbours about living healthier and hopefully happier lives by taking control of every day decisions that reduce the chances of developing long term illnesses like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke.

We’ll also try to tackle the issue that affects the quality of life of so many, loneliness. Each newsletter will have a different emphasis, sometimes it might be age related.

Positive Thinking

There are 5 steps to mental wellbeing that are taught at the Recovery Education Centre (REC) run by Dorset Healthcare and the Dorset Mental Health Forum.

They are:

1. Connect with people, for example switch off the TV to talk, play a game with children, friends and family.
2. Learn new skills
3. Give your time by listening, supporting, thanking and caring.
4. Moving more
5. Exercising mindfulness, for example, noticing how our thoughts drive our emotions; being conscious of sounds, tastes, smells, beauty.

Dorset Food Banks

Weymouth and Portland provide emergency food for those in crisis, affordable food for those who might find themselves struggling each month, free community meals which are open to all, and free social cookery sessions - all with the aim of providing healthy food for all.

Find out what provision is available near you.

If you want to help your local food bank get the type of food that they most need you can sign up to the app Bank the Food—they will send you a helpful ‘ping’ when you are at your local supermarket with your local food bank’s needs.

Moving More in Winter —Age is not a Barrier!

Being active isn’t just about going to the gym, running, or bending into yoga poses. It could be dancing around the kitchen to music, walking, tending the garden, or climbing the stairs a few times. Every minute of activity counts, and little things can make a big difference, such as improving our sleep, boosting concentration, and relieving stress.

Building activity into your regular routine is one of the best ways you can start to build a new habit. “We are Undefeatable’s Five in Five” is a mini workout to help you move more.

Simply choose 5 exercises from the activity library, and do each one for 1 minute, adding up to a 5 minute mini-workout. Visit here for more information on how to do 5 exercises while watching TV - standing from a sitting position, seated punches, a seated march, seated leg extensions, shoulder and arm rolls forward then backwards.

Gentle, properly planned exercise can be life changing, giving people the freedom to leave their home unaided, catching the bus to meet friends and generally taking back a bit of control over our own lives.

We will bring you details of provision as more is developed, for now it is worth looking at this information - Move It or Lose It Exercise Classes for Seniors.

With classes available across Weymouth and Portland regular attendance will improve your balance, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, coordination and boost bone health, there should be one near you.

On top of the benefits of improving your physical health the social aspect of meeting like minded people will be health boosting too.