By Mikayla van Loon
It’s that time of year again where the weather starts cooling down, days get shorter and the feeling of hibernation can settle in.
That’s why for the second year, Yarra Ranges’ health services and facilities will be hosting Active April, with events right across the shire encouraging both indoor and outdoor movement.
“We’re just encouraging people to move more for the month. So we know that a lot of the Yarra Ranges community are not active, they’re sedentary,” Inspiro senior health promotion officer Megan McInerney said.
“42 per cent of our women are not active, and 36 per cent of men. So we really want to encourage people to just engage in an activity that would suit them and move your body in a way that suits you the best.”
Organising a number of free or low cost events throughout the whole month, activating a number of trails and paths, parks, libraries, community centres and sporting facilities there’ll be something for everyone.
From walking and running clubs, pickleball, Tai Chi, to scavenger hunts, volleyball and boxing, the aim is for people of all ages to test and try different activities, meet new people and take part in movement that feels the most comfortable for them.
“Throughout Active April, we’ve targeted lots of different age groups for different activities, being conscious of the fact that it is also school holidays, so we’re trying to make them accessible to as many people as possible,” Belgravia Leisure community engagement coordinator Kelly Parker said.
Dance classes linked with library story times will cater to young children and parents, while teen workshops hope to encourage young people to feel safe and supported using places like Monbulk Aquatic Centre and the Yarra Centre gyms.
“They’ll do it like a boys boot camp or girls boot camp and they’re boxing sessions to try and bring the teen audience into the gym space, so they feel more comfortable,” Kelly said.
“Because a lot of them play teen sports, or they don’t participate at all, we’re trying to bridge that gap a little bit.”
The extremely popular soccer clinics will also be available for all ages and abilities, while adult dance classes, as requested by the community, have been added to this year’s program at the Monbulk Living and Learning Centre.
Heart Foundation walks will activate walking paths in Yarra Junction and at the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden.
“The Heart Foundation walks brings out the older demographic. They just want that social connection. They’re not really in it for the physical aspect but more for the mental health aspect,” Kelly said.
Officially launching Active April on Sunday 30 March at Melba Park, Kindred Warrior owner Estelle Coombe-Health will begin the morning with breath work and yoga, before Mother Runner organiser Lani Monks and Running Company Lilydale owner Bec Rosel will lead a running and walking group along the Yarra Valley Rail Trail.
“This is our second year running the campaign. So Active April and This Girl Can are our big community activation programmes, but this is the first time we’ve done a community launch event, reaching out to community partners to tap into their groups as well to just bring visibility of what’s available ongoing for people in the community,” Megan said.
Megan said unfortunately “one of the barriers for people to participate in activity (is) they just don’t know what’s available”, so by bringing together already formed groups, as well as Yarra Ranges wide services, hopefully people will connect with a class or group after April.
“When we have our running club on a Wednesday, users of the paths and the trails will see these groups, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh, who are you guys? What’s happening here?,” Bec said.
“And when they realise it’s a weekly thing and it’s free, then they’re more likely to come along.”
Lani agreed, saying it’s not uncommon for a mum to stop and chat to the Mother Runner’s to find out more or just join in.
“We’re a very friendly group and we often engage with other mums and women that we see on the (Warburton) trail and in the cafe too. Quite a few mums joined us because they said, ‘we saw you, or we chatted with you’. Sometimes mums just kind of get absorbed in,” she said.
“It’s been really nice meeting local mums who may not have otherwise known we existed just through that exposure of being out here on a Wednesday morning.”
For women especially heading into the winter months, the element of safety makes a huge difference to still being active.
“We’re an evening (run club) and we started coaching many, many years ago, simply because I didn’t want, particularly women, running on their own especially through those darker months,” Bec said.
“It gave people a safe space to come and join others but still get their training in.”
While Mother Runner is a mid-morning run club, Lani said, from that friendships have formed, encouraging women from the group to meet up outside the club and run or walk together.
Aside from the physical benefits, movement of any kind, whether formalised sport, walking or gardening, has so many mental health benefits.
“The bigger bonus of an active type group is the social belonging and connection. I think that for mental health and wellbeing, it really ticks all the boxes,” Bec said.
Active April is the collaborative effort of Inspiro, Yarra Ranges Council, Belgravia Leisure and Eastern Health. To find out more about the activities and download a calendar, visit inspiro.org.au/news/get-active-in-the-yarra-ranges-during-april/
To register for the free launch event, go to trybooking.com/events/landing/1361670
