January 2022

15 Buckden Roundabout January 2022 One Leisure Active Lifestyles – PSI Classes Huntingdonshire District Council ’ s One Leisure Active Lifestyles team recognises the importance of healthy living. Through our RightStart exercise programme, the team offers the opportuni- ty for older adults to take up a strength and balance exercise class, known as Postural Stability Instruction (PSI). The progres- sive falls - prevention class looks to improve strength, balance and postural stability with the aim to reduce risk of falling and maintain your favoured daily living activities. The classes are provided by district councils and a local charity as part of the ‘ Stay Stronger for Longer ’ campaign run by Cambridgeshire County Council and NHS partners. Margaret Nunn, 84, has arthritis and described how taking part in the PSI classes has given her a new lease of life. Margaret joined the class at One Leisure St Neots when it restarted after lockdown and now attends weekly with a group of friends. “ I can now walk from the house to the shops in St Neots and I couldn't do that a few weeks ago. I have more strength in my legs, and I can climb stairs again. ” The 84 - year - old lost much of her mobility during lockdown – a problem many have suffered across the country – but is moving much better now and really enjoying the classes. This is more important than ever with a new study commis- sioned by Public Health England revealing that older people experienced a considerable reduction in strength and balance during the pandemic, which in turn increases the risk of falls. Margaret is certainly one of those feeling the benefits of her new class, so much so that she makes sure never to miss one of her Friday sessions. “ We have a laugh as well as work hard, ” she added. “ The instructor is very good and everyone at the leisure centre is friendly. It ’ s a great class and it has really helped me. ” Cllr Simon Bywater, Executive Councillor for Community Resili- ence and Well - Being, commented: “ Since Covid hit it has be- come very evident that many people have lost mobility and independence as a result of not being able to get out and about, doing the things they enjoy. Here at the Council we be- lieve very strongly in enabling people to get back to these ac- tivities enjoyed prior to the pandemic and where possible attend exercise classes. A very important part of this is to help individuals build on strength, improve balance and increase general mobility. This class in particular helps to build that con- fidence, and if in the unfortunate situation an individual falls they have the effective strength conditioning to assist. ” In order to find out more information about the exercise clas- ses, or other activies Active Lifestyles offer please visit: www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/activelifestyles or call 01480 388111. You can find us on Facebook (@HDCactivelifestyles), Twitter (@HDC_Active) and Instagram (@HDC_Active). Buckden North Yorkshire If you ’ ve ever selected the wrong Buckden on your sat nav you may well have found yourself on the way to North Yorkshire; a journey that may have taken longer but would not have been in vain. Set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park, and on the east bank of the River Wharfe in Wharfedale, the parish of Buckden comprises the village itself and 8 hamlets: Cray, Hubberholme, Raisgill, Yockenthwaite, Deepdale, Beckermonds, Oughtershaw and Green- field. The Parish lies at the northern end of Wharfdale and approximately 20 miles north of Skip- ton. Compared with its Cambridgeshire counterpart, Buckden North Yorkshire has a population of only 184 but, because of its popularity with walkers and holidaymakers, this number increases dramatically during certain times of the year. In contrast with our own Buckden, Buckden North Yorkshire has hills and big hills they are too. Domi- nating the skyline is Buckden Pike and at 702m (2303 ft) it is the 4 th highest peak in the southern Dales. Although inhabited today primarily by sheep and walkers, it was an important industrial site between the 16 th and 19 th centuries. The remains of the Buck- den Gavel lead mine and Buckden High Smelt Mill can still be seen; reminders of the hard lives some Buckden people had to endure. In 1964 a skeleton was found in the Gavel mine dating to approximately (Continued on page 16) The road into Buckden from Hubberholme The other Buckden