Winter Warm Up Events

‘Winter Warm-Up’ Day Event’s

• The Bridge at Broadbridge Heath: Wednesday 14th October, 10am-3:30pm
• Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, Storrington: Thursday 15th October, 10am-4pm

There is free transport provided by Community Transport Sussex for anyone who would like to attend but for who transport is a barrier.

The aims of the day events are to offer a fun, welcoming way for people aged 50+ to try new activities, to get moving, get connected, be better informed and feel more ready for winter.

There will be:

• Free sport and activity taster sessions
• Hearing tests (bookable in advance)
• Health MOTs (bookable in advance)
• Electric blanket testing (bookable in advance)
• Health and wellbeing drop-ins (bookable in advance)
• A large marketplace showcasing local groups, services, and support
• And to top it off, a free bowl of hot soup and a roll for everyone who takes part to enjoy!

‘Winter Warm-Up’ Fringe Activities

In addition, this year, we are introducing a ‘Fringe’ element where local clubs and organisations register their free Winter Warm Up taster sessions, to promote the wide range of clubs, activities and events happening across our district.

The aim of the fringe is to offer enjoyable ways to get active—without needing to play a sport or wear Lycra, to highlight the fantastic range of activities already happening in the district through our local clubs and groups and to encourage people to discover ways to get and stay active, closer to home.

Press release: A press release for the Winter Warm Up’s has gone out today – https://www.horsham.gov.uk/news/2026/09/winter-warm-up-events-are-back

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As with last year’s events the Winter Warm Ups embody our prevention agenda. They also address a number of Council action plan objectives, by creating opportunities…

• for residents to informally access information advice and guidance from the WWU marketplace at this fun event, many of whom can help with cost of living issues
• to reach our more vulnerable residents by collaborating with community/VSCO organisations to attend as a fun day out
• to address isolation and loneliness by creating opportunities to safely socialise and meet new people at free activity taster sessions and chat over a free light lunch of soup and a roll.
• to find new ways to stay active through fun taster sessions
• to promote those charities and organisations offering community support within the district, through a WWU Marketplace - who also benefit from the inevitable natural networking this will create between them
• to bring together a wide variety of community support organisations - from commissioners to service providers, VCSO’s, and community groups working with leisure providers.

Winter Warm Up Partnership Working

Last year HDC organised the Winter Warm Up pilot events. This year the events and fringe are being delivered in partnership with eight organisations, working alongside the HDC’s Community Development team:

• The Bridge Leisure Centre
• Chanctonbury Leisure Centre Trust
• Health & Wellbeing Team
• Age UK
• Alzheimer’s Society
• Healthwatch
• CT Sussex
• UK Harvest

Promotion

We hope that you will be able to help promote and support these events where you can. I have attached a poster and social media graphic as an example of our promotional materials.

More details are available on HDC’s Winter Warm Ups webpages: https://www.horsham.gov.uk/community/Winter-Warm-Ups

To find out what is happening at each Leisure Centre or at the Fringe – click on the links from this Winter Warm Up webpage.

If you have any questions about this initiative, please contact our Community Development team at: community.development@horsham.gov.uk