This October and November, across Sunderland, Everyone Active is encouraging a greater number of over 60s to become physically and mentally active, with its Age is Just a Number campaign.
Now in its fifth year, the campaign celebrates the senior demographic by showcasing their fitness stories and proving what can be achieved by staying active into later life.
It launched on Sunday, October 5 – also known as Silver Sunday, the national day dedicated to celebrating older people – and will run until Monday, November 17.
Sunderland leisure centres, run by award-winning operator Everyone Active in partnership with Sunderland City Council, are encouraging the older generation to visit their local centre and enjoy the wide range of activities on offer.
These centres include Washington Leisure Centre, Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Raich Carter Sports Centre, Houghton Sports and Wellness Centre, Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre, Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre and Silksworth Sports Complex and Ski Slope.
Everyone Active supports older people to exercise across the country throughout the year, with regular dedicated senior activity sessions already seeing more than 20,000 attendances each month.
To help older people to get active, we’ve spoken to some of our local senior members and heard just how transformative exercise can be. Whether it’s for weight loss, recovery from injury, improved mobility, fitness or social reasons, there’s so much that exercise can do to improve quality of life.
In October 2024, Brian Denton’s physical and mental recovery from two traumatic life events began in earnest. Fourteen months previously, the Washington resident had been rushed into intensive care with pneumonia and was placed in an induced coma for 17 days.
During that two-and-a-half-week period, Brian’s wife Patricia tragically died of cancer. When he came round, not only could he neither speak nor lift a pencil, he also had to begin to deal with the trauma of losing his soulmate.
For the next year, Brian struggled both physically and mentally. But encouraged by health professionals and friends, he started to get out of the house more and eventually joined Washington Leisure Centre.
“My friends said to me that I had to make a choice. I could either go to the pub or club every day and wallow in my own pity, or go the other way,” said Brian, who is 74. “I just thought, I’ve got to go in the leisure centre and sign up and start getting myself fit.”
Brian began by attending swimming – the first time he had swum in nearly sixty years. He also used the treadmill in the gym and later added personal training sessions, finding great encouragement from Everyone Active personal trainer Liam King.
Brian now swims five times a week and attends the gym three times a week. He can swim a mile in the pool and walks a minimum of 7,000 steps a day, having considerably built up his stamina and strength.
“Going to the centre has given me a purpose and a reason to get out of bed,” said Brian. “As a single person living in a four-bedroom, detached house, I’ve got somewhere to go where people will talk to me.
“I’m starting to become a fitness junkie. Every time I’ve been to the centre, I feel energised and ready for the day. It’s absolutely brilliant. I’m 74 but I feel as if I’m 24.
“Without Liam supporting and encouraging me, I might have dropped off, but he’s been good. He’s always talked to me and acknowledged me, so he’s been part of this journey.
“The leisure centre has given me strength, structure and hope. If I can do it, other people can too.”
Ian Bradgate, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “We are proud to offer our members a friendly and welcoming environment that motivates people of all ages to get active.
“Maintaining physical activity and keeping socially active is vitally important for older people in the local community.
“This campaign aims to inspire people to try a new activity or engage in simple exercises each week at home, helping people of all abilities discover the different ways they can enjoy exercise.”
Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “Staying physically and socially active brings all sorts of physical and mental health benefits with it, whatever our age, as well as an improved sense of wellbeing.
“Ageing well is also a priority in our Healthy City Plan, and it’s great to hear Brian’s story and the positive impact Washington Leisure Centre has had on helping him to enjoy life again after everything he’s been through.”
With more than 230 centres across the country, Everyone Active offers activities for all ages, as well as specialised classes designed to appeal to older people.
By signing up here, people can find out more about local senior sessions and receive inspirational videos from our fantastic senior members, as well as being in with a chance to win a six-month adult membership.
Proving that gyms, swimming pools and other activities are perfect for people of all ages to use and enjoy, watch our inspirational stories from older members across the country here.