Health & Fitness

Willen Hospice is inviting cycling enthusiasts to take part in their popular Cycle Sportive on Sunday 3rd September. The event is kindly sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and supported by Broughton Cycling Group (BCG). This year there are three new routes to choose from; 35 miles, 65 miles, and a 100 miler. Each route starts from The Good Gym MK, in Kiln Farm, heading out into the countryside, passing through the beautiful areas surrounding Milton Keynes. The Cycle Sportive is open to individual cyclists or teams wishing to ride together. There will be food and water stations on all routes to keep cyclists energised and hydrated. Corley Cycles will be providing mechanical support at the start/finish, as well as support vehicles along the routes. Every participant will receive an exclusive Willen Hospice Sportive finisher’s medal on the day, and a volunteer photographer will be there on the day to take..

We know that listening to a favourite song makes us feel good, and a certain tune on the radio can trigger specific memories. Music is incredibly evocative, which also makes it such a brilliant tool for those living with dementia. In Milton Keynes, Singing for the Brain sessions have proven so popular that the fortnightly musical meetings – organised by the Alzheimer’s Society – recently celebrated their ninth anniversary. Sammy Jones spoke with Dementia Advisor Chelsea Gadd about the power of music. Chelsea has worked to support people living with dementia for the last eight years; first as a live-in carer and then in a care home. “When I first became a live-in carer, I supported a lovely lady who was diagnosed with dementia. After living with her and hearing her stories and experiences, I developed a keen enthusiasm to continue..

Many people are still trying to cope with the after-effects of the pandemic. One solution is therapy provided by Clarity Thinking, based in Newport Pagnell. Or participating in a range of Counselling courses available from Clarity Thinking Learning Hub, an independent learning provider. These Counselling courses are designed to assist individuals in becoming more effective in communicating and moving positively forward in their professional and personal life.  Since the practice opened its doors in 2008 it has helped many clients with their mental health challenges enabling them to have an improved positive relationship with their emotional well-being.  The founders have both worked for the NHS and have professionally experienced the impact of the pandemic, and the ongoing after effects of the pandemic that has placed the need for more qualified therapeutic counsellors.  These experiences have helped to develop and create Clarity Thinking Learning Hub. There are a variety of course..

Milton Keynes may now FINALLY be a city, but it is absolutely littered with beautiful countryside trails. As we (hopefully!) approach the warmer, clearer weather, check out MK Pulse’s handy guide to six-of-the-best local walks, courtesy of the AllTrails App, to try out this Spring. Trail One – Ampthill and Mauldon Circular The first trail takes you through the gentle rolling landscape of the Bedfordshire Hills, providing superb views of the countryside throughout. The circular walk starts from the ruins of Houghton House, said to be the inspiration for House Beautiful in John Bunyan's ‘The Pilgrim's Progress.’ This 8.5km trail is generally considered to be an easy route, taking an average of 2 hours and 28 minutes to complete. The walk itself has several steady but long climbs and descents throughout and there is one stile and several kissing gates. The paths are a mixture of tarmac/concrete lanes and field..

Customers and members at Woughton Leisure Centre will soon be able to benefit from a new state of the art gym, following an investment of over £200,000 to upgrade the facilities. Work will begin on upgrading the gym at the start of August and works are expected to be completed by the beginning of September. The investment will see the existing large studio space transformed into a cardio and strength gym with more than 50 pieces of strength and cardiovascular equipment, including built in TV and social media channels. This amazing investment package will not impact the group exercise programme, with customers still able to take part in classes across the three remaining studios, including the immersive indoor cycling studio - THE TRIP™ a fully immersive workout experience that combines a 40-minute multi-peak cycling workout with a journey through digitally created worlds. Not to mention the HIIT studio and holistic..