What will it be doing?

Fifty Active Living Centres will be developed in Somerset by 2008. Active Living Centres will be drop-in centres where people can take part in a range of activities that help them to stay active and healthy. The centres will be places from where community activities, information, and support services reach out into the community.

Active Living Centres will be based in church or village halls, community rooms and at sheltered housing schemes. Some activities will be provided at Adult Learning and Leisure centres. Active Living Centres will be places where people can come together informally, get information about local resources and services, enjoy activities and socialise with other people. The emphasis will be on staying active and healthy to avoid illness and injury in later life, and to be healthy and independent for longer. Through Active Living Centres older people will be able to have a say about how their local community could be improved and the type of activities they would like to have in their area.

Somerset has also developed a falls prevention service as part of Active Living. The service is being commissioned through the Somerset Primary Care Trust. It will identify people who are at risk of falling and, by making sure they are identified early and offered support, will help to prevent emergency admission to hospital and long-term injury.

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