A BARNSLEY care home worker and Proud of Barnsley finalist has set her sights on hosting the “biggest dementia-friendly digital exercise class ever” for this year’s Children in Need.

The live class will be run by Rachael Addy, activities coordinator at Deangate Care Home, in Mapplewell, who is also a certified deliverer for the British Gymnastics Foundation’s Love to Move programme.

Rachael has been supporting the Love to Move programme since 2023, working with the Barnsley Primary Care Network to deliver classes at Deangate Care Home and in the wider community.

She recently undertook and passed her deliverer assessment, enabling her to lead her own classes, and immediately set her sights on organising a mass-participation session in support of Children in Need.

Rachael plans on broadcasting the class to as many Hill Care Group care homes as possible on Tuesday, November 12, so residents, family members, and staff can all participate. All sponsorship generated by the event will go to Children in Need.

The Hill Care Group operates Deangate Care Home alongside 35 other care homes across the north of England.

Rachael, who is a finalist in the Proud of Barnsley Community Hero category, said: “I am over the moon to be able to call myself a Love to Move deliverer. I was nervous when I took my assessment, as I know how much it would mean for the residents and the wider community if I passed.

“I feel so privileged to have been able to participate in the training course and take my final assessment. This would not have been possible if Hill Care had not believed in the Love to Move programme and put me through my training.

“We have a plan for Children in Need, where we would like to get all the other Hill Care homes included in a live video feed to raise money for the charity. Staff, families and residents will all be taking part, which means it could be one of the biggest dementia-friendly digital exercise classes ever.

“It is an absolute pleasure and honour to be able to deliver these specialised classes. We hope to educate other homes and show them the multitude of benefits that come hand-in-hand with these sessions.”

Rachael currently runs free-to-attend classes every Tuesday from 11am to 12noon at Deangate Care Home, and on the last Wednesday of every month from 2pm to 3pm at Staincross Methodist Church Hall, when anyone living with dementia and their carers are welcome to attend.

Residents at Deangate Care Home have been participating in the Love to Move programme since February 2023, which has involved chair-based coordination exercises and aerobics, learning dance routines, and more.

Last year, residents and staff put their new-found skills and fitness to the test when they created a music video for Children in Need, working with the Barnsley Healthcare Federation and other Barnsley care homes.

Rachael said: “We love it so much we were also featured in an educational video for Barnsley Older People Physical Activity Alliance (BOPPA), which showed the benefits that Love to Move can bring to the elderly.

“Our video for Children in Need gained momentum on social media and I was so proud to set up the community Love to Move in conjunction with the Staincross Methodist Church.

“At the end of the day I want to show the world that these ladies and gents are still alive and kicking. Life begins again when you enter a care home, it doesn’t end. And this is such a powerful way of showing everyone that anyone at any age can achieve what they put their minds to.

“There are so many benefits for the residents. Our resident Joan Giggal has been taking part in the sessions from day one and she is amazing. She can do most of the movements now compared to when she first started them. She knows the songs before they even come on. She has even helped other residents with learning the moves.”

Joan, 91, said: “It’s wonderful. I can move now more than ever thanks to this class.”

Rita Wood, daughter of resident Sheila Johnson, 96, said: “We love seeing how happy it makes the residents when we come to visit mum. She even gets involved where she can.”

Susan Tattershall, daughter of resident Alice Pickering, 90, said: “You can see the difference when the residents have had the session. They are more alert and ready for the day ahead if they do it in a morning.”

Rachael added: “Anyone can get involved. It’s not just for those living with dementia. Some of the staff found out how complex some of the cognition tasks can be and they were so surprised but the more they practised the better they are getting at it, just like our residents.

“It’s suitable for all abilities, so if the individual just wants to listen they can, sing, move, or chat. It’s all about interaction and engagement and, most importantly, having fun.

“I would invite anyone who is interested to come along to the Tuesday sessions at Deangate Care Home or the session at Staincross Methodist Church Hall on the last Wednesday of each month. All are welcome.”

To sponsor the Hill Care Love to Move dementia-friendly exercise class, with all donations going to Children in Need, visit their Just Giving web page at www.justgiving.com/page/rachael-addy-1727781882655.