EXTEND's national training programme is at the heart of our response to the new task posed by the success of our ageing population.  We are enabling more teachers to go out into the community and work with groups of less mobile individuals.  We are modernising and expanding our facilities in order to improve the administrative, financial and communications tasks necessary to support our need, and as this population group grows, so the strains upon our limited resources will increase.

By co-operating with government, NHS Trusts and PCTs, housing associations and national, regional and local organisations and companies, we aim to make exercise provision accessible to all who wish to extend their horizons with EXTEND.

Pushing Out The Boundaries

Extend has just completed its most successful year in nearly 30 years of service to the community.  Income has achieved a record level and we have operated more courses in more venues than ever before.

In our first review, published two years ago, we explained the work of Extend, describing our co-operation with a wide group of governmental, social and private organisations to indentfy and address health problems facing older and vulnerable people. The demand for our courses increases all the time.  Ever more groups in a widening spectrum of ethnic, cultural and special needs environments are venefiting from our approach.

The challenges we face multiply as we are able to reach more sections of the community.

• We must fulfil current and potential demand for our courses.
• This will mean recruiting and preparinng more skilled trainers from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• We need to encourage more men to join our courses.
• We must help elders in the many ethnic groups in our society to overcome specific health problems caused by dietary deficiencies and the lack of a tradition of exercise in later life among some communities.
• We must play our part in helping to overcome the isolation caused by the gradual breakdown of the extended family unit in modern life.
• We must always comply with or exceed the new standards of quality and safety demanded by the National Service Framework for Older People.

Extend has answers to these problems and many others. We need to recruit and train more Course Directors.  We must improve consetantly the quality and suitability of the training we offer.  In this respect, the work done with the City and Guilds Institute is an excellent example of the professionalism and expertise of Extends's work.

We are helping more groups in a widening spectrum of ethnic, cultural and special needs environments.  New, we must push out the boundaries of that work with our uniquely inclusive, expert and above all, hugely enjoyable approah to helping people to lead healthier, happier lives.

Welcome to our website. It is a snapshot of our work. We hope you enjoy it and are encouraged to work with us, whether as a client, teacher, trainer or supporter.  Help us to respond to this valuable opportunity.

Ann Thomson

Chair EXTEND