Go4it! waves goodbye after four years of supporting families across RCT

The Go4it! project is coming to an end after four years.
The project has supported families in and around Rhondda Cynon Taff to live more active and healthy lifestyles.
It was funded by Sport Wales, Families First, Jehu, Morganstone and the Arts Council of Wales has helped over 100 families to improve their health and wellbeing.
Laura Perry, former Go4it! programme manager said: “Over the years, we’ve given support to help reduce any barriers that families face that prevent them from living a healthy and active lifestyle.
“Rhona, our dietician, worked one to one with families to make small sustainable changes to their diets. She also held larger group sessions in the communities we support.
“We want to say a massive thank you to all of the families who have been involved in the project over the years and the organisations that supported us”
Go4it! worked with families by performing a series of home visits called ‘Sofa Coaching’. These visits help to build relationships with the families so that the team can work closely alongside them to help them achieve their goals.
83% of people that engaged with Go4it! felt more confident in taking part in physical activity and 100% showed a positive change in attitude after stress relief sessions.
Rhiannon from Mountain Ash received support from Go4it! for her and her family. She said: “I heard about Go4it! through a friend of mine. At the time I was in a bit of a bad place with post-natal depression, which contributed to problems with my weight. I met with Laura in my home and she made me feel at ease straight away.
“My first session was a cookery class with all of the family. We used fresh ingredients to make a stir fry which was healthy, delicious and very cheap too.
“We’ve done so many new things through the programme, including bush craft, staying away in a caravan alongside other families on the programme and lots of fun activities that got us active and thinking more about how we can lead healthier lives. I’m happier and the children are definitely happier, Go4it! was wonderful.”
The Go4it! team also delivered a variety of sports taster sessions within local community settings to promote sport and physical activities which are available locally.
Barbara Protheroe from Rhydyfelin is blind and has hearing issues. She recently took part in a six week series of healthy living sessions with Go4it!.
Barbara said: “Because of my sight and hearing problems, people quite often say I can’t do things but the Go4It! team never did. I visited my local community centre and did activities such as Zumba, Pilates and netball. I even got a bull’s eye when we did archery!”
The project will come close at the end of March due to the completion of the funding streams.