As the world marks World Falls Day on 22nd September, Edinburgh Leisure is shining a spotlight on its Balanced Life programme – a specialist initiative helping adults reduce their risk of falling and maintain independence.
Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and hospital admissions among older adults. They place a significant burden on the NHS and social care, but many are preventable. It is estimated that falls cost the NHS more than £2.3 billion annually. In 2023, over 15,000 people attended A&E in relations to a fall, 10,000 of whom were people over 50 years old. (Lothian Falls Prevention and Management Framework).
Working in collaboration with the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP), Balanced Life is integrated into Edinburgh’s new Falls Prevention and Management Pathway. It is already making a difference across Edinburgh.
As well as Balanced Life, working in partnership with EHCP has enabled Edinburgh Leisure to grow their provision from 33 to 73 classes per week creating capacity to support 2,632 adults this year to improve their balance, strength, and confidence – key factors in preventing falls.
Balanced Life is an evidence-based two-tiered falls prevention programme designed for adults who have had or are at risk of having a fall. Offering a range of tailored classes, which build strength, balance and mobility, this programme supports people to maintain their independence and enhance their quality of life through targeted exercises delivered by specially qualified instructors.
- Level 1 – Active Balance is a weekly class focusing on functional exercises that promote balance, confidence and daily movement
- Level 1 – Grounded Balance is a weekly class which teaches participants how to get down to and up from the floor safely using backwards training principles to reduce ‘long lies’ following a fall
- Level 1 – Dynamic Balance is a weekly circuit-based class which focuses on strength and functional fitness
- Level 2 – Balance Plus is designed for people with a higher falls risk of having a fall. People referred to Balance Plus are asked to attend 3 classes per week to build their strength, mobility and balance confidence
Claire Craig, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “Falls are widely recognised as a significant and costly, yet largely preventable, source of harm within the health and social care system.
“We are excited to be working with Health & Social Care to expand our successful Steady Steps programme, launching a new two-tiered programme to reduce falls and frailty in the city.
“This collaboration is focused on reducing avoidable harm caused by falls and delivering meaningful, city-wide benefits for the people of Edinburgh, improving lives and helping ease pressure on the NHS.”
Hannah Cairns, Chief Allied Health Professional at the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “We have enjoyed working closely with Edinburgh Leisure on the falls prevention pathway. They bring a wealth of experience in the role of physical activity in health and wellbeing, and have a proven track record of delivering groups and services that have a positive impact on people’s lives.
“We are proud to support the development of Balance Life, a key contributor to the integration of physical activity within the newly developed falls prevention and management pathway. This collaboration is focused on reducing avoidable harm caused by falls and delivering meaningful, city-wide benefits for the people of Edinburgh.”
By supporting people to stay active and steady on their feet, Balanced Life is helping to reduce avoidable falls and the associated healthcare costs.
Balanced Life is referral-only, ensuring those most at risk are supported. Health and social care professionals can refer eligible individuals.
Edinburgh Leisure remains committed to promoting healthy ageing and tackling health inequalities through inclusive physical activity programmes.
To find out more about Balanced Life or how to refer someone, visit https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/balanced-life/ or speak to your local health practitioner.
If you would like to find out more about how people can reduce their risk of falling, visit https://services.nhslothian.scot/fallssupport/i-live-in-edinburgh/
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On 6th June, Edinburgh Leisure proudly celebrated Volunteer Thank You Day as part of Volunteer Week, a national celebration recognising the incredible contributions of volunteers across the UK.
With over 190 amazing volunteers supporting our services, Edinburgh Leisure were thrilled to welcome 60 of them to a special event, which was all about bringing our volunteers together to share stories, learn more about our health and community programmes, and most importantly—say a heartfelt thank you.
Volunteers are at the heart of what Edinburgh Leisure does. From helping people get active to boosting wellbeing and spreading the word about our services, their impact is felt across every corner of our community. Many of the volunteers tell us how rewarding the experience is—whether it’s meeting new people, supporting others on their fitness journeys, or watching participants grow in confidence.
This celebration was a fantastic reminder of the power of volunteering and the difference it makes. We loved hearing our volunteers’ stories and sharing more about how they help us get people more active, more often.
Want to get involved?
If you think you might like to become a volunteer with Edinburgh Leisure, click here to find out more.
Four Edinburgh mothers who bonded through a local exercise group are in the final stages of training for the Edinburgh Marathon, running as a relay team to raise funds for the charity that supported their return to fitness after childbirth.
The women met through the Active Mums programme, part of Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities initiative. They’ll join 55 other participants participating on behalf of Edinburgh Leisure at the Marathon events. The Edinburgh Marathon Festival weekend (24-25 May) will feature 11 Edinburgh Leisure participants running the full marathon, 12 in the half marathon, 4 relay teams, 10 running the 10k, 8 running the 5k and four juniors.
Chio Martinez, one of the relay team members, explained: “Like many people looking for a fundraising challenge in 2025, I signed up to raise funds for Active Communities and Edinburgh Leisure by taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. Of course, there are lots of other big-name charities out there, but funding for smaller projects is under threat in Edinburgh, and this is my way of giving something back.
“Active Mums has been a lifeline for me and other mothers with young babies and toddlers. It’s not just about fitness—it’s created a community where I’ve formed meaningful connections, established a vital routine, and found reasons to leave the house on those challenging days. The programme offers clear fitness milestones in a judgment-free environment where we all understand the unique struggles of postpartum wellness. It’s given me the confidence to take on the EMF challenge—something I never would have considered before. We’re all excited to step up to this challenge together, and it’s become the perfect motivation to keep moving forward on our fitness journeys.”
The Active Mums relay team has already exceeded their fundraising target and have raised over £1,000, which is 167% of their £600 fundraising target.
Seriously Social Impact
The marathon fundraising effort came as Edinburgh Leisure marked the second Seriously Social Week (12-16 May), part of a national campaign showcasing the work of charities that prioritise people over profit, connect communities, and promote health, happiness, and creativity for all ages and abilities.
Organised by Community Leisure UK, each day of Seriously Social Week highlights how organisations like Edinburgh Leisure create social impact and foster healthier, happier communities. The campaign focuses on five key themes: health and wellbeing, community, inclusion, employment and skills, and the environment.
Jen Holland, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure, stated: “We are proud to be part of a network of charities operating with a social conscience, delivering social good through public leisure services. Our core mission is about purpose, not profit, helping people first. We support Edinburgh in becoming healthier and happier with quality health and wellbeing services for everyone, regardless of age or ability, including those with serious health conditions, which helps reduce the financial burden on the NHS.”
The Marathon Mums relay team exemplifies this mission in action. Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities programmes supported 14,782 people in 2024-2025 who face significant barriers to physical activity, including those affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty—empowering participants to improve their health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
These vital Active Communities programmes depend on funding and fundraising to continue their work using physical activity to transform lives and communities across Edinburgh. The initiatives foster social inclusion, promote physical activity, and enhance overall well-being throughout the city.
Support the Marathon Mums:
• To donate to Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Mums or other Active Communities programmes: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/donate-online
• Learn more about Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities Programme: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/active-communities
• Follow #SeriouslySocial on social media to see how Edinburgh Leisure creates social value.
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A dedicated team of swimmers from Leith Victoria Swim Centre successfully completed an ambitious challenge on Easter Monday, visiting and swimming in all five of Edinburgh Leisure’s Victorian pools in a single day to raise funds for the Active Communities programme.
The 14-member “Victorian Pool Crawlers” team swam up to one kilometre in each historic pool while walking approximately 16 kilometres between venues throughout the day. The challenge has raised over £870 to date, with donations still coming in through their JustGiving campaign.
Among the participants was 48-year-old Marek Bernat, who only learned to swim at Dalry Swim Centre in 2019. Originally from Poland, Bernat was motivated to learn after a frightening experience during a holiday in Bilbao, Spain.
“I lost my footing and tumbled down some stairs into water,” Bernat recalled. “That’s when I thought, ‘I’d better learn to swim.'” Now a regular at Leith Victoria Swim Centre’s skills and drills class, Bernat’s journey from non-swimmer to Victorian Pool Crawler exemplifies that it’s never too late to learn a new skill.
“This challenge brought together our love for swimming with Edinburgh’s incredible Victorian pool heritage,” said Alistair Clark, the group’s organiser. “To swim in all five historic venues in one day was physically demanding, but knowing we were raising vital funds for Active Communities kept us motivated. The programme helps thousands of people overcome barriers to physical activity, and we’re proud to support such important work.”
Easily spotted in their day-glow, bright orange t-shirts and Edinburgh Leisure swim caps, the team attracted attention and support from other pool users throughout the day.
Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities programme works to tackle inequalities and combat the effects of inactivity by providing opportunities for people facing the greatest barriers to physical activity, including those affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty. Each year, the programme supports around 12,500 individuals.
“The determination shown by the Victorian Pool Crawlers exemplifies the community spirit that makes Edinburgh Leisure’s work possible,” said Jenny Selman, Funding Manager at Edinburgh Leisure. “Their efforts will directly help us create more opportunities for everyone to get active and stay active, regardless of their circumstances.”
Those wishing to support the Victorian Pool Crawlers can still donate via their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/poolcrawl2025
Edinburgh Leisure is dedicated to helping people lead more active, healthy lives. With 53 sport, leisure, and school venues across the city, Edinburgh Leisure creates opportunities for everyone to get active and stay active.
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A new initiative that harnesses the power of sporting memories to tackle dementia, depression, and loneliness is launching in Edinburgh. The Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland (SMFS), in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, will host weekly clubs at Meadowbank Sports Centre, offering older adults a chance to stay connected through their shared love of sport.
Starting Wednesday, April 16th, these free drop-in sessions will run weekly from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at Meadowbank Sports Centre, London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE. The clubs offer a welcoming space for both men and women over 50 to reminisce about sporting heroes, share their own sporting stories, and participate in fun quizzes and gentle indoor games.
“We are really excited to launch our newest Sporting Memories partnership at Meadowbank Sports Centre, a venue at the real heart of Edinburgh’s sporting heritage,” says Donna Mackey, Partnership Manager at SMFS. “The clubs are a great opportunity to build new friendships and become more active by taking part in some of Sporting Memories sessions.”
The initiative follows a successful pilot during Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary celebrations. Sam Scott, Health Development Officer (Dementia) at Edinburgh Leisure, explains: “We held a one-off session in September as part of our Edinburgh 900 celebrations, and there was a definite interest to start a new one, celebrating not only Edinburgh but Edinburgh Leisure’s vast sporting history and heritage.”
While open to all older adults who love sport, the programme also supports Edinburgh Leisure’s existing Movement for Memories programme for people living with dementia. “The sessions will appeal to over-50s, many who already use our facilities either independently or for social sports and our Ageing Well members,” adds Scott.
Trained Sporting Memories volunteers facilitate the sessions using specially developed reminiscence resources to spark conversation and discussion. The programme takes an innovative approach to address three key challenges of our ageing society:
- Reducing loneliness and isolation
- Encouraging physical activity among older adults
- Supporting those living with dementia
No pre-registration is required – anyone interested can simply turn up to the free sessions, where refreshments will be provided.
Mackey emphasised the need for volunteers: “While we’ve lined up some volunteers to run the Meadowbank Club, we’re still keen to find more volunteers with a love of sport and some spare time to help run the clubs. No expert sports knowledge is required, and we provide full training and resources.”
Key points for potential volunteers:
• No specialised sports expertise needed.
• Comprehensive training will be provided.
• Opportunity to make a meaningful difference in community health.
• Support for older adults, including those living with dementia.
For more information on participating or volunteering, contact Donna Mackey at donna.mackey@sportingmemories.uk
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About Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland
Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland uses the power of sports reminiscence and physical activity to improve the lives of older adults, particularly those affected by dementia, depression, and loneliness.
About Edinburgh Leisure
Edinburgh Leisure is a leading provider of community health and wellness services, committed to helping local residents live active, healthy lives through innovative programmes and partnerships.