Abstract

This report details the collaborative project set up between Active Families NE and the University of Sunderland to survey the opinions and perspectives of elderly services users attending community-based exercise sessions, to evaluate the current provision and to help shape future developments in the service. Opinions were sought via focus groups and questionnaires. An initial pilot study focus group was held in October 2023 with two subsequent follow-up groups in December 2023. A service user questionnaire was distributed in November to December 2023. A second survey was commissioned to identify the opinions of the business partners of the Active Families NE service and utilise them in an evaluation of the service’s provision of physical activity sessions in Gateshead and South Tyneside. The business partners’ survey was distributed March to April 2024. Participants were 16 service users attending a total of 3 focus groups, 60 individuals completing the service user’s questionnaire and a further 6 completing the business partners’ questionnaire.