PENSIONERS are being urged to get active after a new scheme offering cheaper sport was launched.

Ribble Valley Borough Council and have joined forces with Sport England to create the Silver Mondays scheme.

Each Monday, a series of sports and leisure activities will be on offer to the over-60s at St Paul’s Parish Hall and Ribblesdale Pool in Clitheroe.

The Silver Mondays project has been launched after research by Sport England revealed pensioners in the Edisford and Low Moor areas of Clitheroe were least likely to participate in sport and leisure.

Adrian Leather, chief executive of the Lancashire Sport Partnership, said: “I am really excited about the Silver Mondays scheme.

“It is important that we all keep physically active and our research shows that elderly residents in and around Clitheroe are not using sports facilities as much as we would hope.

“Silver Mondays aims to change that by offering a range of activities that research from Sport England has shown will appeal to this age group. I hope that the scheme is a huge success.”

The scheme offers swimming from noon to 1pm at Ribblesdale Pool, tai chi, aerobics, indoor bowls and a tea dance from 11am to 2pm at St Paul’s Parish Hall, and free goodie bags, featuring a Silver Mondays DVD, muscle balm, energy drink and information leaflets.

The film features retired Ribble Valley couple, former nurse Moya and GP Edgar Ainsworth, as well as the council’s health and fitness development officer Tracy Balko.

The Silver Mondays project aims to prove that targeting specific sections of the community to increase sporting activities and exercise can significantly improve participation levels.

If successful, it could be rolled out in other areas of the country.

Mayor of Ribble Valley, Coun Beverley Jones, said: “Ribble Valley has some wonderful leisure facilities and I hope this scheme will help to encourage elderly residents, particularly those in Low Moor and Edisford, to use them fully and live fit and healthy lives.”

Silver Mondays is available to the over-60s from throughout Ribble Valley, but particularly the Edisford and Low Moor areas of Clitheroe.

Further details are available from the council’s healthy lifestyle team on 01200 414484.