What is 'In the Pink'?

‘In the pink’ means in very good health and spirits. And our In the Pink scheme aims to help people feel healthier and happier through physical activity. It is a short programme of support for anyone who feels they need a little extra help to access their local Fitmums & Friends club and be more active. The support is provided by a volunteer supporter who will attend three club sessions with a participant, introducing them to the club and being a buddy at those first sessions. Following this initial support, we hope that the participant will feel confident and able to continue attending club sessions on their own.

Who is it for?

In the Pink is for anyone, male or female, aged 16+, who feels they need a helping hand to become more active. You do not need to be a Fitmums & Friends member or fit already. You might be new to exercise or maybe you have lost your mojo and need a hand to find it again! Some examples of the difficulties facing an In the Pink participant include:

• struggling after a bereavement
• being a carer who needs some time out
• feeling lonely or isolated
• trying to make lifestyle changes like losing weight or stopping smoking/drinking alcohol
• having relationship difficulties
• facing unemployment or redundancy
• recovering from illness or injury
• experiencing baby blues, ante/post-natal depression
• struggling with menopause symptoms
• facing major, life-changing experiences
• feeling low in confidence/self-esteem

How does In the Pink support work?

1. Get in touch with us – Please sign up for the scheme by completing the Request for Support form. You can refer yourself or ask someone else to refer you – this might be a health professional like a doctor, nurse, midwife, health visitor or it could be a concerned friend or family member. After we receive your form, we will call you, explain more about the scheme, check you feel ready to take part and, if so, link you to a volunteer supporter.
2. Non-exercise meetup – Your volunteer supporter will get in touch and arrange to meet you in a local café or other convenient venue. This is a lovely chance to chat to your volunteer supporter before you attend a club session. You will find out in more detail how the scheme works, what activity options are available and how you can be supported. If you feel ready, you can plan which session you would like to try – choose from walking, running, cycling, buggy and boot camp sessions (although not every activity is available in all areas). The cuppa is on us by the way!
3. Supported exercise sessions – Your volunteer supporter will join you at the sessions of your choice and be there just for you. They will support you at three sessions in this way, giving you a helping hand to take those first steps. You don’t need to worry about your level of fitness – our clubs are very friendly and supportive and our sessions allow everyone to take part at their own level without fear of being left behind or put under pressure to ‘keep up’.
4. Looking to the future – After your three supported sessions, you are welcome to join Fitmums & Friends as a member if you wish to continue your journey to being ‘in the pink’ with us. Find out about all our sessions and activities here. Equally, if completing this scheme helps you to feel more confident about trying other activities which are not facilitated by Fitmums & Friends, that is also fine. We just want to help people realise the benefits of being more active.

Who are the Volunteer Supporters?

Our volunteer supporters are members of Fitmums & Friends who understand exactly how it feels to come to a club session for the first time and who have empathy with how that might feel for you. They have undertaken specific training for the role, including safeguarding training. All have a DBS disclosure and are supported in their role by our Overarching Welfare Leads. As members of Fitmums & Friends, they understand the strong ethos of support which is embedded in all our groups. They are passionate and enthusiastic about offering this support to those who need it. Please be aware that our volunteer supporters are not counsellors or therapists; their role is simply to encourage and support individuals to be more active.

You may be wondering about...

Costs?

There is no cost to take part in the In the Pink programme. If, after the three supported sessions, you wish to join Fitmums & Friends, current membership fees apply. If finances are a barrier for you, please chat with your volunteer supporter about the ways in which the club might be able to help. We don’t want finances to stop anyone being more active with us.

Data collection?

We want to find out whether the support we offer is helping people and whether it makes you feel better. For this reason, you will be asked to complete a mood validation questionnaire at the beginning and end of the programme. We will also ask you to complete an evaluation form. This information is invaluable to us as it allows us to measure and demonstrate the impact of the scheme and ensure it continues. You can be reassured that all data is used anonymously.

Transport issues?

Volunteer supporters cannot offer lifts to venues. They will meet you there. This is because we want your participation to be something that you can continue in the long term, so you need to be able to get to venues independently.

Any alternative?

If you feel that you don’t need this level of support, but you would still appreciate something, then we can:

• arrange a chat (by phone, text, email, Zoom, etc.) with one of our volunteers to put you at ease before you attend a session; and/or
• arrange to meet you outside the venue so that you have someone to walk in with that first time.

What next?

To sign up for In the Pink support, please complete the Request for Support form. If someone else is referring you, they must have your consent to do so.

If you have any questions about the scheme, please contact our programme coordinator at inthepink@fitmums.org.uk.

If you would like to help spread the word about In the Pink support, please share the flyer attached.

If you are an In the Pink participant and would like to complete your evaluation form online, please click here.