FIT AND HEALTHY ON THE BEACH

There’s a chance to join an organised activity, or find out more about the health benefits of getting out in the fresh air on Ramsgate’s seafront for a fun day on Saturday 21 May.

Starting off the day at 10am is a chance to help the environment. ‘Green gym’ volunteers are invited to join in to help to join the task of cleaning up Ramsgate’s Sea Garden for the local community - without overstretching a muscle or two! All ages are welcome from five years old and over. Tools and gloves are provided – but participants should wear old clothes and footwear.

Fun activities will be held on the Main Sands throughout the afternoon from 1pm, including beach volleyball and beach football with Sports Matters. There will be beach games and tug of war with Groundwork's stars and stripes, while the Thanet lifeguards will be putting on flag races and throwing the ring competitions.

Other specialist activities can be booked on the day from the Thanet Coast marquee, which will be besides the café. These include ‘Zumba’ with Jeni Dexter for 45 minutes from midday for over 16 year olds, ‘Skip2bfit’ with John McCormack from 2pm to 4pm and Tai Chi with Barry Phelan for an hour starting at 4pm for anyone over six years old.

There’s plenty of supporting health and advice available from the NHS Health Bus and KCC’s Mobile Gateway, with other services set up around the promenade area near the café on the sands.

Thanet Coast Project Manager, Tony Child, said: “This fun day on the beach is all about the health benefits that we can get living so close to the coast. There’s plenty of opportunities for all ages to join in fun organised activities - or to simply get out and about for a stroll along our gorgeous coastline.“

The day is part of the new ‘Footprints in the Sand’ initiative, run by a partnership of organisations and coordinated by Thanet Coast Project. This encourages people of all ages to access and enjoy the Thanet Coast and learn about the benefits they can get from it. 

The project partners include Thanet District Council, Kent County Council Children Centres in Thanet, Millmead Children’s Centre Partnership Limited, Orbit South Housing Association, Kent Extended School Services, East Kent Mencap, NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent and East Kent and Natural England. The project is run with support by the Natural England as part of its Access to Nature programme through funds from the BLF's Changing Spaces programme.

Details can be found on the Thanet Coast Project’s website at www.thanetcoast.org.uk