Almost 80 people attended a festival of sport for older people at Carlisle’s Sands Centre.
The inaugural Senior Club Games saw participants aged 60-plus representing teams from the Sands Centre, Workington Leisure Centre, Whitehaven Sports Centre and Cockermouth Leisure Centre in the two-day multi-sports marathon.
They competed in a range of age-friendly activities including pickleball, table tennis, badminton, carpet bowls, scavenger hunts, boccia, new age kurling, Scrabble, water polo, swimming, scrabble, dominoes and fitness challenges.
The event culminated in an awards ceremony with medals and a shield presented by Lauren Smith, one of the most decorated players in the history of British badminton.
Members of the Sands Centre, Carlisle were crowned overall winners after notching up a total of 129 points on the leaderboard, closely followed by Workington who secured second place with 95 points.
Chloe Nixon, GLL’s community sports manager at The Sands Centre, said: “We’re thrilled that our first ever Senior Club Games attracted widespread interest and people wholeheartedly entered into the very essence of true sportsmanship.
“Not only did the event galvanise incredible competitive spirit, it embodied community, collaboration, connection and inclusivity as new friendships were forged, underlying the powerful social and wellbeing impact of group activities.”
The activities were curated by experts from Cumberland’s Better leisure centres who specialise in delivering flexible health and exercise programmes for seniors that support mobility, strength and cognitive engagement.
The event was delivered in partnership with GLL – a charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op operating under the Bette’ brand which manages the Sands Centre on behalf of Cumberland Council – Age UK, Sellafield and Active Cumbria as part of the Live Longer Better in Cumberland strategy, designed to tackle health inequalities and promote active, healthier ageing.
