Love to Move Dorset

06/08/2026

A great session today at Verwood House Care Home as always. When leaving, I was shown this beautiful colouring book created by Hamberley Care Homes to help younger children understand dementia. It is really lovely and reinforces the important message that people living with dementia may forget things but still feel connection, warmth and love and that feeling of well-being stays with them after their visitors have left.

02/08/2026

Love to Move is much more than seated exercise! It is a cognitive enhancing engagement programme designed to help older adults (including those living with dementia) to maintain their independence.

The physical elements help the heart, lungs and major muscle groups.
The spoken elements help with word retrieval and communication.
The dexterity elements help with fine motor skills such as using a pen, doing zips etc
The bilateral patterns help with tasks where each side of the body does a different job at the same time e.g. doing laces and buttons, opening jars, using cutlery etc.
The rhythm section helps working memory.
And so on....

If you know someone who may benefit from attending Love to Move group, please get in touch for more information on 07446 401838 or email [email protected]

23/07/2026

Thanks to Prama Memory Lane group Trickett's Cross for inviting me to their session today! What a lovely group of people, lead by Karen with Margaret assisting.
Everyone joined in wholeheartedly with the Love to Move session and I hope to see some of them at some of my other sessions nearby in the future. 😁

If you are interested in a Love to Move session near you, please contact Katie on 07446 401838

If you would like to attend the Trickett's Cross memory lane group, please contact Karen on 07469689506

19/07/2026

We have space at Waterlily Christchurch Love to Move on Friday afternoons. Please get in touch if you know someone who would like a FREE trial session.

Dementia friendly, seated exercise programme with brain training!



07446 401838
[email protected]

16/07/2026

A great Love to Move session at Avon Cliff Care Home as always this week but we had an extra special Alphabet section as the residents tried to help Companion Elise to choose a middle name for her baby before she goes on maternity leave!
I won't tell you the top options in case it spoils the fun!
Sending very best wishes to Elise and her husband as they start their journey as parents.

28/06/2026

UPDATE:
Wow, 7 offers in 24 hours. There are some truly wonderful people out there, thank you!

We are looking for a volunteer to join our Monday team in Southbourne. 😇

If you like the idea of helping people enjoy Love to Move and have some free time on Monday afternoons we would love to have another voluntary team member.

Timings:1-3pm
Venue: Immanuel Southbourne
Availability: Regularly would be lovely but not needed every week.
Duties: Help set up the room🪑, welcome participants 😊, join in the fun🤭, serve refreshments 👨‍🍳 and finally, chat and drink tea/coffee ☕️ with the participants.
Suitability: Someone with compassion and care (some participants have memory or physical difficulties) and a sense of fun!

We have had volunteers who are retired, students needing work experience, family members of those attending. All have found it very rewarding ❤️

Please get in touch with Katie
07446 401838
[email protected]

P.S.excuse the Christmas photo!

24/06/2026

Shout out to all the carers in care homes working so hard to keep all their residents cool, hydrated and safe.

We are having a very different week. None of the usual high energy elements but plenty of hand dexterity, language skills and brain teasers.

Cool spray also going down well!!

Stay safe everyone!

Hyacinth House Care Home - Barchester Healthcare
Parley Place Care Home - Barchester Healthcare
Moors Manor Care Home - Barchester Healthcare
Summerhill Care Home
Avon Lee Lodge
Upton Manor Care Home
Verwood House Care Home
Southbourne Beach Care Home - Avery Collection
Avon Cliff Care Home
Yarnley House Care Home

22/06/2026

Very happy to be able to present Immanuel Southbourne with £141 from our Easter egg raffle and retiring collection from our 5th birthday party.
They have an amazing provision of activities for Older Adults including people with memory difficulties. They have many activities that are inclusive, supportive and welcoming.
We have asked that the money is spent on this good work.

Older PeopleWe run an wide programme  of activities for older people, and in particular those with dementia and their carers.  Memory Lane If you have memory loss or dementia or know someone who does why not consider coming along to our Memory Lane group on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons. You wi...

14/06/2026

Love to Move Dorset celebrated it's 5th anniversary this week!

Training in lockdown on Zoom, our first live session of this amazing programme, developed by the British Gymnastics Foundation, was on 7 June 2021.

1,127 sessions delivered in over 20 venues to over 1,000 participants!

This is a small business that has made it through those difficult first few years and it is great to be still going and developing and improving but it is so much more than that.

We have built a community of support, safety, friendship and fun for those that attend. Great friendships have been formed, support networks found and inclusive environments have allowed people to find a safe space as well as providing meaningful movement and cognitive stimulation.

To celebrate we had a fabulous afternoon tea with homemade cakes, in the church hall where it all started. Some members of that first group still attend and were very much part of our celebration.

Many thanks to every individual, care home and organisation that have helped Love to Move be the success it is.

Special thanks to the wonderful team of volunteers (Gemma, Karen, Kirsty, Jodie and Lydia) who show so much care and compassion at every session they attend. You are absolutely fabulous!