7 EFL Club Charities unite to help over 55's improve their Health and Wellbeing!
- Marc Lewis
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Thanks to the EFL in the Community Catalyst Fund, Bristol Rovers Community Trust will deliver the REACT programme and support over 55's across the local community.
REACT (REtirement in ACTion), is a group-based exercise programme proven to support people to improve and maintain their mobility and ability to live in dependently.
The REACT programme was developed in response to a pressing and growing public health challenge: the decline in physical function and independence among older adults. According to the Office for National Statistics, one in five people in the UK are currently aged 65 or over, and by 2050 this will rise to one in four.
The free programme combines exercise, education and social activities that are designed for older adults who are beginning to show age-related mobility decline. Through a cost-effective real world intervention, older adults will develop positive physical activity behaviours and habits and form lasting social connections.
Originally piloted by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), this new funding from EFL in the Community will scale up the REACT programme and utilise the power of football to reach adults who would otherwise not engage in the programme.
Bristol Rovers Community Trust, CEO Adam Tutton, added:
“The Trust are delighted to be able to deliver the REACT programme and continue to support the community in Bristol. Through the REACT programme, we will be able to help improve the quality of life of some of our older adults within the borough and have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
EFL in the Community’s Director of Community, Debbie Cook, said:
“The Trust are delighted to be able to deliver the REACT programme and continue to support the community in Wigan. Through the REACT programme, we will be able to help improve the quality of life of some of our older adults within the borough and have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
Professor Afroditi Stathi, Chief Investigator of REACT at the University of Birmingham, added:
“I am excited that REACT will now be delivered through EFL in the Community, bringing this evidence-based programme into spaces where men, in particular, feel a strong sense of belonging - their football clubs. This expansion means more people can stay mobile, independent, and socially connected, while strengthening the community spirit that football represents."
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