All Move in Erewash

All Move in Erewash (AMiE) is an initiative to make everyday movement more accessible and fair for people living with a limiting illness, long-term condition, or disability.

Working with partners and stakeholders, we want to improve health and wellbeing across the community by reducing inequalities in physical activity. Right now, people with a disability or long-term condition are twice as likely to be inactive compared to those without. In Erewash alone, around 27,000 adults are inactive - and nearly 10,000 of them are living with a limiting condition or disability.

We know that everyone’s situation is different. That’s why we’re listening, learning, and working together to understand what supports or gets in the way of being active - so we can help make moving every day possible for everyone.

We are keen to hear the voices of people with lived experience so that we can provide the tools that you need to move more each day.

All Move in Erewash - Get Involved

An AMiE survey was developed in March 2025 to gather insights from people with lived experience of a long-term condition or disability who are struggling to get active. Read the All Move in Erewash survey findings (accessible version) or download as a PDF at the bottom of the page.

Information for Residents

Moving more

However you choose to move, it’s all good for your health and wellbeing. Try building activity into your day, like taking the stairs and walking more.

The benefits of physical activity outweigh the risks. Regular physical activity, along with standard medical care, is important for managing and preventing many long-term conditions.

Those who are least active stand to benefit the most in terms of their health and happiness by getting active.

Tips for moving more:

Find activities you enjoy
Make the most of your good days
Start slowly and build up
Move more around your home
Try a new activity

Useful Resources

Getting support for a long term health condition

Spoon Theory video – what it’s like to live with a long term condition

General guidance and resources for moving with a long term condition – We are Undefeatable campaign

Ten Footsteps to live well with pain

Guidance and videos on movement you can do with:

Free apps:

Active 10 app – helps you monitor the amount of walking you do
We are Undefeatable app – exercises to follow at home tailored to how you are currently feeling.

If you want to receive updates about AMIE or get involved with this project to help enable fairer experiences of moving more for people with long term conditions and disabilities, please contact a member of our team at: communityheathwellbeing@erewash.gov.uk

Local Support

Erewash Voluntary Action

Let’s live well with pain is a 6-week programme focusing on self-management skills, confidence building and sharing experiences with others - delivered by the social prescribing team.

Derbyshire Community Health Services

Outpatient Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and MSK Triage Service. Designed to help people with musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, neck pain and other joint pains to receive the right treatment. Provide a range of group exercise programmes as well as one to one support. See their website for further information.

Better Ways to Better Days - Peer Support Group

A support group for people living with chronic pain and long term illness. Meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, 13:30-15:30 at United Reformed Church Hall, Nottingham Road, Long Eaton NG10 1HQ. To attend please contact ben.gough@rethink.org or 07502157029.

Physical Activity in Erewash

Here is a list of physical activity opportunities within Erewash that are suitable for people with long term conditions. Some costs may apply, click on the links for further information.

Across Erewash

Live Life Better Derbyshire – free online PA classes and Exercise by Referral scheme.
Live Stronger For Longer – falls prevention classes (chair based & standing).
Walk Erewash – A range of free regular walks suitable for different abilities.
Community mental health map - bringing all aspects of mental health and wellbeing into one place.

Long Eaton

Long Eaton Tai Chi – Tai Chi and Qi Gong classes.
Good Boost at West Park Leisure Centre - an individualised programme in the swimming pool for people with muscle or joint pain).
Long Eaton U3A - encouraging both study and leisure activities in a wide range of topics.
Riverside Pan Disability Football Club – Inclusive football training for mental and physical health impairments.
Park Run - A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you!

Draycott

Elephant Rooms – offering tai chi, yoga and pilates, wellbeing groups and courses to improve mental and physical health.

Ilkeston

Good Boost at Victoria Park Leisure Centre - an individualised programme in the swimming pool for people with muscle or joint pain).
Ilkeston U3A – learning, creative, and leisure opportunities for mainly older people in the local area.
Keep fit at Ilkeston United Reformed Church. Gentle exercise classes e.g. chair yoga and Tai Chi, exercise for the heart and reliability fitness.
Cycle for Health - regain cycling confidence, gently improve fitness and enjoy a free, sociable 10 mile ride. All abilities welcome.

Midlands Nordic Walking - workshops to learn the basics of Nordic walking and regular sessions offered in Ilkeston and surrounding areas.

Nordic Walking - free sessions on Mondays 12:30 and 6pm at The Pod, 17 Summerfields Way, South Ilkeston, DE7 9JJ. Booking is essential - contact movemorecotmanhay@parksidehigh.co.uk or 0115 9301000.

Accessible Walks

Information for Professionals

If your role involves working with adults in Erewash, it is likely that you are supporting someone with a long term condition, limiting illness or disability.

We all have a role to play in enabling people to move more to benefit their health and wellbeing. It can be hard to know where to start, which is why we have an AMiE network for professionals to share their knowledge, understand more about living with a long term condition or disability and develop skills to have meaningful conversations with people about physical activity.

Events

AMiE network meetings are held in-person (alternating between Ilkeston and Long Eaton) once every quarter and AMiE updates are circulated amongst the network. A summary of the meeting outcomes so far can be found at: Making Our Move.

Resources

A new signposting resource has been developed to support people in Erewash to find ways to move that works for them. This is available to download at: Erewash Signposting Resource

movingmedicine.ac.uk- providing guidance around physical activity conversations.

To join the AMiE network and find out more about future stakeholder events please contact a member of the team: communityheathwellbeing@erewash.gov.uk

AMiE Survey Findings

AMiE survey findings.pdf

236.4KB PDF

Download

AMiE Newsletters

Monthly Updates

Here you can find all editions of the AMiE monthly newsletter - providing you with information for adults in Erewash living with a long term condition or disability to be active.

June 2025

July 2025

August 2025

AMiE Champions

Nikki Hall

Nikki has lived with Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) all of her life. She experiences fatigue, hypermobility, subluxations & joint pain, digestive disorders and mild cardiovascular issues. Her pain and energy levels fluctuate on a daily basis along with dysautonomia. She took early retirement from her nursing career as her pain & fatigue became too much.

Photo of Nikki - All Move in Erewash champion

Nikki values walking and time in nature to rejuvenate her overall wellbeing. She adopted a rescue dog a year ago to help her stay active, she did a lot of gardening during the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid sedentary behaviour and maintain her wellbeing. She has trained as a Work-Life Balance Transformation Coach & NLP Practitioners to support others who are struggling to maintain a healthy balance in their life, and also does voluntary work for her local voluntary action group. Nikki has really benefitted from reformer pilates and swimming as well as acupuncture massage, which she has funded herself.

Although daily pain and energy are still an ongoing challenge, Nikki is staying mentally & physically active as much as possible with her condition through self-management strategies. She has reached a point of self-acceptance and is able to adapt to her limitations. She has learnt different techniques over the last few years, that work for her.

Nikki has co-founded ‘Sofa to Stroll+’ a monthly gentle walking group for people with long-term conditions who meet at Elvaston Country Park on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 10.30am.

Lisa

Lisa* lives with fibromyalgia, diabetes, and mental health problems. She has made major lifestyle changes since becoming unwell and is now leading an active lifestyle. Lisa values the mental health benefits of being active and this keeps her motivated. She regularly uses the pool and sauna at West Park Leisure Centre, where staff support her wellbeing. Lisa enjoys swimming, even if she can only do a few lengths – she recognises that this is better than nothing at all.

Severe pain can make it difficult for Lisa to be active, she’s learned to rest when needed and say no to other things. Mental health challenges can also cause her to withdraw. Despite, these challenges Lisa is usually able to get back to her active lifestyle, showing her resilience and determination. Along this journey, Lisa has had positive support from Elephant Rooms (in Draycott), her mum, and the health and wellbeing team (Derbyshire County Council) – she credits this service for changing her life.

Lisa is a positive role model for anyone who lives with chronic illness and mental health problems who wants to make positive lifestyle changes.

*Pseudonym used to protect confidentiality.

David

Since contracting severe Covid-19 five years ago, David has lived with long-term conditions including fibromyalgia, long covid, high blood pressure and is currently being assessed for PoTS (Postural Tachycardia Syndrome). He experiences fluctuating symptoms such as pain, fatigue and breathlessness, which make daily life challenging and unpredictable.

His healthcare journey has frustratingly been complex, involving multiple referrals and contradictory advice. While some professionals have provided helpful guidance, poor communication between services means he has frequently had to repeat his story.

David does some volunteering and tries to stick to a routine to provide structure in his life. This isn’t always easy given the impact of his long term conditions. The volunteering keeps him moving and gives him the flexibility he needs to manage his physical symptoms. On better days, David enjoys walking and cycling, but he has learned that pushing beyond his limits can worsen his symptoms for days. David uses pacing strategies and adapts activity according to how he feels. At home, he has adapted routines and equipment to save energy and manage symptoms.

David has the desire and determination to remain active to keep his muscles and joints working well. He values physical activity as a key way of maintaining independence, supporting his wellbeing, and engaging with family life despite the challenges of his health conditions.