Community Matters: Age is just a number

Staying active as you get older can be a challenge, and finding activities that interest you might require some digging, but I have recently been getting in a pickle each Monday evening, having read about the popular new racquet sports of Padel and Pickleball.

Started in the USA, pickleball is a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis and is taking the country by storm, being more accessible for children and seniors due to the smaller size of the court and speed of the ball – I, for one, am loving it.

Why am I mentioning this? – Well, as someone over 60 with two new knees, I used to play serious badminton but thought my racquet days were over. The beginner pickleball sessions, however, are full of people of all ages, and quite a number of people like me and older, all having fun and finding our puff again, and it feels fabulous.

As we age, it is important to remind ourselves that it is just a number, and across the Bay, the Community Building team can point you in the direction of many other activities where you can get and stay active. From walking groups, fitness, yoga and pilates, sea swimming, and daytime discos, we actually have so much going on that it is hard to keep track.

We have two disability sailing groups in the Bay, enabling the less able to enjoy the pleasures of our beautiful waters; adult cycling lessons on a Monday evening at Torbay Velopark; beginner triathlon groups with Healthscape, among many other activities – it is really just a matter of putting on some comfy clothes and your big girl/boy pants, taking a deep breath to settle our nerves, and giving it a go.

The monthly afternoon discos organised by my colleagues at the Preston Conservative Club and Babbacombe and St Marychurch Conservative Club are great fun, and if you fancy putting on some glitter and strutting your stuff, you can head home in the daylight for a cup of tea and Pointless.

The Torbay Community Building team are here to help you connect to what you might enjoy, so please contact us… We will always do our best to help you find what you are looking for. – torbaycommunities.com/ Or if you want to contact me – email gillknight@torbaycdt.org.uk or call 07884 887063.