Bield residents get fit and celebrate new Zen garden

Residents living at Bield Springbank Gardens in Falkirk have been participating in a new exercise class, allowing them to get fit, and feel healthier.

The exercise class takes place on a weekly basis and was initially started by a volunteer to help residents to increase their mobility, fitness and well-being.

When the volunteer responsible to holding the classes was unable to attend anymore, owners of Springbank Gardens faced cancelling the classes, however, the arrival of enthusiastic resident, Chris Watt saw classes begin again in the Summer.

Development manager at Springbank Gardens, Carrie Aitken, said: “We have witnessed fantastic participation since Chris first started the classes in July, with around 12 residents taking part each Tuesday morning.

“The exercises are very accessible and the residents leave feeling energised and healthy. The benefits really are enormous and go well beyond simply increasing their fitness levels.”

Ms Watt was able to use her own experience of gentle exercise methods to get residents moving again on a weekly basis.

Ms Aitken continued: “The classes are hugely popular with the residents, who have found them to be a real social occasion – plus it has directly led to other social events, with a weekly games night now taking place every Wednesday night, and a sing-a-long event now taking place once a month.

“This snowball effect just goes to show how beneficial the classes have been, for some of the residents it was their first time socialising within the development – and now their diaries are full of a varied mix of events.”

In addition to the successful exercise classes for Bields’ Springbank Gardens, residents in Kirkton Court Kirriemuir have been enjoying the use of a Japanese inspired garden.

Residents of Kirkton Court received a £250 grant from Bield to renovate shrubs in the grounds of the residential development into a Japanese garden to represent tranquility.

Tenants at Kirkton Court Angus and Liz Ross worked with development manager Morna McLaren and other staff at the development to clear the area and install the new plants and statues.

Ms McLaren said: “We are delighted with the new feature that has been put in place at the development. The original bushes and plants were becoming a bit of an eye-sore for tenants, so we were keen to do something about it.”

The space now contains symbolic Japanese statues, including Herons, Geese and a Buddha to represent purity, the space also has Japanese grass, rocks and a small wooden bridge as a centre piece.

“The garden has been very well received by tenants and is constantly commented on by visitors, which is really great.

“At Kirkton Court, we feel that these things have a positive impact on tenants because not only is it something nice for them to look at and take care of, but when the weather gets warmer, it will encourage tenants to spend time in the garden and socialise with one another.”

Kirkton Court and Springbank Gardens are managed by Bield who provide a range of housing and care services to suit different users’ needs.