Autumn of Sports and Wellbeing Activities

In partnership with Active Lincolnshire, funded by Sports England, TCfR and LFC have put on three and a half months of sports and wellbeing activities – Cross Cultural Sports. Providing opportunities to improve mental and physical wellbeing in a post lockdown world. Encouraging people to get out and about, meet new people and start to feel more connected with the world again following an intense period of isolation at home. Starting in August with virtual mindfulness sessions – Sitting with Peace and Awareness. Led my Atmashant Kaur and provided an opportunity to sit quietly, reflect and learn techniques for helping with anxiety. A time to spend one hour a week for yourself and it did wonders for mental wellbeing. It is so beneficial to spend that time away from the world, the busyness of life and to just sit and be. Fortnightly wellbeing walks in Lincoln’s beautiful green spaces – an opportunity to be outdoors, getting fresh air, meeting new people and talk. A great way to be gently, physically active while being in the fresh air was great for mental wellbeing. Yoga sessions on Zoom, led my Jasmine Sodhi, aimed at beginners was a gentle way to relax, exercise and do yoga. Doing it from the comfort of your home made it easier for Mums to participate or anyone who was self conscious. A nice end to a busy work week and a relaxing way to begin winding down for the weekend. Two friendly cricket matches took place, one in September and one in October, involving teenagers and adults, males and females – it was wonderful to see such an inclusive group of people coming together. It was great to see players greeting each other and children playing together without hesitation. Alongside the cricket some of the younger males played football, children enjoyed crafts, bubbles and a spirited game of hide and seek. Players were from many different faith and ethnic backgrounds as well as different abilities. The atmosphere continued to be positive, friendly, welcoming and inclusive. It was so wonderful to see the engagement between so many form different backgrounds – children playing and interacting, conversations between people of different faiths and the coming together to play. A Cross Cultural Sports Festival, in September, was an excellent afternoon of fun and games at the University of Lincoln outside sports area. Children, students and adults had fun with tug of war, traditional races – egg and spoon, running sack, obstacle and 3 legged race. Many laughs were had by the children especially during the 3 legged race as they struggled to find the correct technic to stop one falling over. The tug of war was rather competitive especially from students. Alongside the races there were giant games of dominoes, snakes and ladders, twister and noughts and crosses. It has been fantastic to see people, from diverse backgrounds, coming together, friendships forming and dialogue taking place. Children playing together, doing crafts and just having fun. A few months of great engagement, more people learning about TCfR and LFC, people just being themselves, coming together and seeing the beginnings of increased integration. 

As the Mayor said, at the sports festival, more of this needs to happen – more coming together, talking, being and playing. More of this is what is needed in this world. A very successful series of sports and wellbeing sessions which we certainly want to build on and have more of these opportunities.