Breathing difficulties? Stressed, depressed or anxious? Let us help!
Details of current/forthcoming courses are detailed below:
The Reef Leisure Centre, Weybourne Road, Sheringham NR26 8WD, Tuesdays 2:30 – 4pm.
11 February to 1 April 2025
29 April to 22 July 2025
16 September to 9 December 2025
You can book via the Everyone Active app, by contacting Reef directly, by contacting us or just come along!
North Walsham Sports Centre, Spenser Road, North Walsham NR28 9HZ, Fridays 10:15 – 11:45am.
10 January – 4 April 2025
2 May – 18 July 2025
12 September – 12 December 2025.
You can book via the Everyone Active app, by contacting the Sports Centre directly, by contacting us or just come along!
Long Stratton Village Hall, Ipswich Road, Norwich NR15 2TA, on Wednesdays 2:30 – 4pm from 15 January to 2 April, restarting 30 April to 16 July 2025. Contact us to book in or just come along.
Fakenham Leisure Centre, Trap Lane, Fakenham NR21 9HL. Watch this space for future courses in Fakenham.
Our ‘Singing for Breathing’ sessions are suitable for people with diagnosed lung conditions or anyone who wants to learn about their breathing and learn how to breathe better for improved health and wellbeing. They’re also great for people wanting to improve/retain their voice quality, for example people with Parkinson’s.
Sessions are suitable for beginners or returners who want to continue their practice.
Singing for Breathing sessions help people:
– Learn about their own breathing habits and practices
– Learn techniques that help manage or improve breathlessness
– Adopt better breathing habits for everyday life
– Increase general health and wellbeing
– Increase physical activity and stamina
– Improve vocal range and voice quality
– Build confidence
– Enjoy singing with others!
– Reduce social isolation and loneliness
– Build new friendships and peer-support networks
– Feel motivated and confident to go on to join other community physical/social activities (including more singing and music-making and/or learning a new instrument perhaps!)
Songs are tailored around underlying breathing exercises taken from established Singing for Lung Health, pulmonary rehabilitation and Accent Method methods. The exercises encourage use of primary respiratory support muscles and full, complete breaths, thus helping strengthen support muscles and build better breathing habits for everyday life.
Singing for Breathing courses are run in partnership with Everyone Active and contributes to North Norfolk’s Healthy Ageing Programme. The sessions are open to all, whether members of the leisure centres or not.
Refreshments are provided at the start of the session but please bring a bottle of water with you, to help you keep hydrated during the sessions. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing. Movement is encouraged during the session to help increase physical activity and general health benefits.
The groups will always be very friendly and supportive, you will be made welcome! Come along and give it a go!
It is advisable to contact us to register your interest and ensure a place but feel free to drop in to try it/see what we do too, if necessary.
As part of our charitable work, we aim to keep sessions FREE to participants or as low-cost as possible. However, we do not have continuous or core funding to provide this service. To help us continue providing sessions, donations are extremely gratefully received! A suggested donation of £5 voluntary donation per session, per person (including refreshments) will help us cover costs but no-one is excluded if unable/unwilling to pay. If you value the sessions your contributions are much appreciated.
‘Positive Cycle of Activity’ (A+L UK (2022) ‘Breathlessness’ Available online (PDF) )
Feedback:
A recent survey from a 10-week course held between January and March 2023 found that (amongst participants who completed forms at weeks 1 and 10):
– 83% felt more confident managing their breathlessness as a result of attending
– 75% felt less reliant on GPs/health professionals
– 55% had increased regular physical activity (with many more reporting how they could sustain levels of physical activities for longer, such as for gardening/walking/completing everyday tasks)
– 58% felt more motivated to join other community-based groups or activities
– 50% reported reductions in feelings of isolation/loneliness
Quotes include:
“The peer support is so valuable, being around others with similar conditions/issues. Wonderful friendships formed etc”
“My spirits are always lifted!”
“I can now walk up the hill home without stopping!”
“I can now garden for 30-45 minutes without stopping – I could only do 10-15 minutes before!”
“My breathing is more controlled. I know how to do it properly!”
“My chest feels stronger after every time I come”
“I’ve found new ways of breathing during exercise/stress. It’s a joy to come!”
Any enquiries please email info@playingforcake.uk.
Singing for Breathing has been developed in association with Asthma and Lung UK and The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team at Kelling Hospital.
Singing for Breathing was kick-started with support from Sport England and is continuing with thanks to funding via Awards for All (The National Lottery) and participants’ donations.
You might also be interested in the North Norfolk Breathe Easy Support Group which meets at Sheringham Community Centre monthly – more details here.
We are working hard to help increase the number of groups and sessions offered across Norfolk and Waveney (N&W). For more information about the N&W Singing for Lung Health (SfLH) Network, click here.