A PIONEERING programme for people living with cancer will be trialled in Bridport.

The scheme has been developed following an impromptu meeting between Bridport GP, Dr Jo Cotton and Bridport Leisure Centre manager Nick Neale.

Further discussion took place with a number of interested parties including Jo O’Farrell from The Living Tree, Alison Wetherall from Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, Bridport & West Dorset Sports Trust, a specialist urology nurse from Dorset County Hospital, Bridport Leisure Centre’s GP Referral Exercise Team and John Chapman from Leisure Futures.

The 'Stepping Out' exercise and educational programme will be offered free of charge, courtesy of a £30,000 investment from Macmillan Cancer Support - along with West Dorset's Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), West Dorset District Council and Dorset County Council's Olympic Legacy Fund.

"There is abundant evidence that exercise and proactive holistic lifestyle and dietary changes can help prevent people from getting cancer, and additionally reduce recurrence risk and improve survival" said Dr Cotton.

"Overall wellbeing and quality of life can be improved, and side effects of surgery and chemotherapy can be reduced. We are really excited about the new cancer exercise rehab scheme and hope that we can bring about lasting improvements in the health and wellbeing of those facing cancer in West Dorset."

The Stepping Out programme will be offered as a carefully monitored medical referral programme, for blocks of 12 weeks with two sessions each week. Each session will consist of a suitable exercise routine followed by a variety of ‘educational’ talks, workshops, activities including yoga, nutrition, stress and fatigue management.

Specialist guest speakers, therapists, nutritionists and other exercise professionals will all play a part in the programme - which will be trialled at the beginning of March.

Bridport Leisure Centre has purchased brand new exercise and state of the art body composition monitoring equipment. Participants will be regularly assessed and measured to track and monitor progress.

Nick Neale, general manager at Bridport Leisure Centre said: “We want to work alongside the community, and breakdown the barriers of participation to the leisure centre which can be daunting for a lot of people.

"This is definitely one of the most rewarding schemes that I have personally been involved with, and all of the exercise specialist staff, The Living Tree members, other trainers, nurses etc have made this become a reality.”

West Dorset District Council leader, Cllr Anthony Alford said: “This is a fantastic initiative highlighting the benefits of regular exercise in a supportive environment.

"I’m proud that West Dorset District Council’s Leisure Development Fund can assist in funding such great projects like this. The district council has supported the Bridport and West Dorset Sports Trust for many years and we value the services that it provides to the community.”