Free Winter Warm Up days for over-50s at The Bridge on 14 October and Chanctonbury on 15 October: tasters, health checks, free soup and October fringe sessions.

Horsham District Council’s free Winter Warm Up days for people aged 50 and over return this month. The first is at The Bridge Leisure Centre in Broadbridge Heath on Wednesday 14 October. The second is at Chanctonbury Leisure Centre in Storrington on Thursday 15 October.

Both are free and open to any district resident aged 50 or over. Everyone who comes is offered a free bowl of hot soup and a roll, the council announced on 30 September.

New this year is a fringe programme. Local clubs are offering free taster sessions across the district throughout October, so there is something closer to home for people who cannot get to either leisure centre.

What is on at the event days

The council lists sport tasters, hearing tests, vaccinations, health MOTs, electric blanket testing, arts and crafts and a marketplace of local groups and support services.

The Bridge, Wednesday 14 October. The centre’s timetable has sessions from 10am to 2.45pm, and there is no need to book. It includes:

Time Activity
10am to 2.30pm, all day Badminton, pickleball, kurling, short mat bowls, table tennis
10am to 10.45am Studio cycling, ballet stretch, tai chi
10.30am to 11.30am Archery, Clip ‘n Climb
11am to 11.45am Ballet stretch, aerobics
11.15am to 12.15pm Morris dancing workshop
12pm to 12.45pm Pilates; circuits until 12.30pm
12pm to 1pm Clip ‘n Climb
1pm to 2pm Archery; pilates until 1.45pm
1.15pm to 2pm Studio cycling
1.45pm to 2.45pm Morris dancing workshop
2pm to 2.45pm Yoga

Chanctonbury, Thursday 15 October. Chanctonbury Leisure Centre’s page lists a health walk, tai chi, pickleball, badminton, gentle sit fit, yoga, a falls prevention advice class, a silent disco, singing with a choir, line dancing, archery, board games and arts and crafts. It had not published session times when we checked on 4 October. Stalls include free NHS hearing tests, free electric blanket checks by West Sussex Fire Brigade, the council’s wellbeing team and Age UK.

At Chanctonbury, the Broadwood Men will demonstrate morris dancing and then run a beginners’ workshop. The Bridge’s timetable has two morris workshops.

October fringe sessions near you

These free tasters are run by the clubs themselves, not the council, and the details below are as the clubs supplied them to the council’s fringe page. Several need booking.

  • Walking football, Horsham and Shipley Community Project: 6, 13, 21 or 28 October, 10am to about 1pm, TD Shipley football ground, Dragons Green. The listing calls them all Tuesdays, but 21 and 28 October are Wednesdays, so confirm the date when you book with Phil on 07786 070939.
  • Men’s Shed taster, same project, same ground: Tuesday 20 October, 9.30am to about 2pm. Book by email.
  • Table tennis, Horsham Table Tennis Club: 7, 12, 21 and 26 October, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Warnham Village Hall. Minimum age 30; booking essential.
  • Morris dancing open evenings, Broadwood Morris Men: Thursdays 8, 15, 22 and 29 October at 8pm, Horsham Unitarian Church Hall, Worthing Road.
  • Conservation volunteering, Horsham Green Gym: Tuesday 13 October, 10am to 1pm, Warnham Nature Reserve. Ten places; book through the council.
  • Wellbeing walk in Leechpool Woods for World Mental Health Day: Saturday 10 October, 90 minutes. Book a free place through the council.
  • Henfield Leisure Centre free taster week: Monday 12 to Friday 16 October.
  • Move It or Lose It for over-60s: Tuesdays 9.30am and 10.45am at Pulborough Village Hall, Wednesdays 1.30pm at Billingshurst Community Centre.
  • Silver Swans ballet for over-50s: Thursdays 9.50am to 10.50am, Rusper Village Hall.
  • Adult ballet at Rudgwick Village Hall, Wednesday 7 October, 9.15am; adult tap at VMA Studio, Billingshurst, Thursday 8 October.
  • Dementia-friendly games and sport, Dementia Active Sussex: Mondays 10am to noon, Dial Post Village Hall.
  • Walk and talk: Wednesdays 10am in Horsham Park’s Human Nature Garden, Fridays noon at Lintot Square, Southwater.
  • Rock Farm market garden near the Washington roundabout: open volunteer days Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, all month.

The guided Horsham Riverside Walk on 14 October is listed at 13 miles, so it is one for regular walkers.

What it means for you

  • Cost: everything above is free.
  • Who: the event days are for residents aged 50 and over. Some fringe sessions have their own limits, such as over-60s classes.
  • Getting there: CT Sussex community transport can help. Call 01403 754206 for The Bridge or 01903 530053 for Chanctonbury, according to the council’s Winter Warm Ups page.
  • Health checks: NHS Health Checks and Wellbeing MOTs at the events are booked through the council’s community wellbeing booking page.
  • Electric blanket testing is by appointment only on 0345 872 9719.

Belinda Walters, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said winter “can be a challenging time for many people”, and that the events are a chance for over-50s “to come together, try something new, access helpful advice and services, and connect with others in their community.”

The event days are run with eight partners, including Age UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, Healthwatch and CT Sussex. For things to do with the grandchildren over half-term, see our October half-term guide.