to our November newsletter.  We've had a busy couple of months particularly with our 2nd Birthday Party, filming our new DVD and planning for our exciting Xmas Party and 2016 programme. Read on to find out more...

What a great night we had at our Birthday Party in September. Almost 300 people joined us at Heywood Civic Centre to celebrate our 2nd anniversary.  The evening entertainment included a Dance Act and Zumba sets by our activ8teme instructors, Laura Taylor, Laura Nugent, Tracey Szymanek and Taira Booth.

It was an amazing night enjoyed by all including: a charity raffle which raised £267 for The Christie Cancer Charity; 4 of our activ8teme members telling their stories on how they have benefited from the programme; a buffet; the Mayor's speech; a quiz and a presentation on the programme by activ8teme Co-ordinator, Sarah Shard.  Attendees included: activ8teme members; instructors; community partnership organisaions; Link4Life staff and Board of Trustess and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress.

A huge thank you to all of the local businesses who contributed to our raffle and to everybody who attended.

To view our 2 minute video from the night, click here

To view our photos from the evening, please click here

Only 5 weeks until Xmas - where's this year gone? We hope you will join us on Wednesday 9 December 6pm-9.30pm at Heywood Civic Centre for our Xmas Party.  There'll be music, light refreshments, a couple of Zumba sets to dance along to, party games and lots more.  Tickets are £3. To reserve your place, please contact Sarah on: 07976 498629 or sarah.shard@link4life.org

We're also holding a fancy dress Xmas Party at our Walking Football session, feel free to join us! Details are as follows:

• Walking Football: Thursday 10 December 10am-11.30am at Rochdale Leisure Centre, Entwisle Rd, Rochdale, OL16 2HZ. Cost: £1.50. Fancy Dress Football Game with prizes followed by refreshments. Contact Paul Gardner on 01706 926235 / 07890 250655 to reserve your place.

Are you ready to take on a new challenge? Do you want to push yourself through a 'High Intensity Interval Training' workout? Then come along and join us on Mondays, 6pm-7pm for HIIT at Bowlee Park Sports Centre, Windermere Rd, Langley, Middleton, M24 4LA. Cost: £2. No booking, just turn up on the night.

The session has been running for only 10 weeks and we've had 60 people take part so far with a record of 38 at one session.

Centre Manager, Ian Robertson said, "The HIIT class at Bowlee has been a huge HIT. The word is spreading of what a fantastic class this is.  A class is only as good as the instructor taking it and this is all down to Laura who makes everyone feel welcome with her huge, bubbly personality.  It's only 5 weeks to go until Xmas, so just think how good you'll look in those Xmas dresses by then! Keep it up."

This month we hear from Dot Garner who's been enjoying our Zumba Gold classes at Heywood Civic Centre.

Dot said, "I got involved with Zumba Gold at Heywood Civic Centre 2 years ago after being asked to go by my sister-in-law.  At first, I wasn't really into it, then after about 3 weeks I suddenly realised that I was actually looking forward to it!  Not only was I keeping fit, but I was having so much fun too.

The instructors are lovely girls, making sure we don't over-do things and we enjoy the routines.  I can really recommend Zumba Gold to anyone - we have so much fun and I've made some lovely friends through the class. I go to the classes twice a week and I'd like to thank activ8teme for making this possible."

The classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10.30am-11.30am at Heywood Civic Centre, LCpl Stephen Shaw, MC Way, Heywood, OL10 1LW. An additional class will start in January 2016 on Wednesdays 10.30am-11.30am. Cost: £1.50.

A new Zumba Gold class which was set up in Castleton only last month, has proved very popular with approximately 19 ladies attending each week.

The class takes place on Mondays at 10.30am-11.30am at St Martin's Church, Vicarage Road North, Castleton, OL11 2TE. Cost: £2. No booking, just turn up.

Janet Brookes who manages the church and helped to set the class up said, "We're amazed at how popular the class is becoming and the numbers are growing by the week through word of mouth.  It's a very friendly group and everyone is enjoying it.  A lot of the ladies haven't done Zumba before but we're all having lots of fun and hope we can keep it going."

activ8teme welcomes a new instructor to the team, Gina Smith.

Gina said, "I grew up in Langley and now work as a receptionist.  I used to weigh over 16 stone but then I found a new hobby - exercise! I started  going to several different fitness classes a week, which soon became a large part of my life.  I fell in love with Zumba when I started to attend classes at Middleton Arena last year and decided I wanted to become an instructor myself so I did my ETM and Zumba qualifications and started teaching in May this year.

I love the community classes as the people are so friendly and down to earth and there's a real social feeling about them.  I always say to new people to have fun and getting the moves wrong is all part of the fun as that's what it is about." 

Gina teaches 2 activ8teme classes per week, both classes cost £2 and you can just turn up:

• Zumba Gold: Mondays, 10.30am-11.30am at St Martin's Church, Vicarage Rd North, Castleton, OL11 2TE
• Legs, Bums, Tums: Tuesdays, 6pm-7pm at Bowlee Park Sports Centre, Windermere Rd, Langley, Middleton, M24 4LA

Congratulations to activ8teme Co-ordinator Sarah Shard, who recently raised £439 for the Christie's Cancer Charity.  Sarah ran the Great North Run in September along with 57,000 other people.  She was also lucky enough to meet Olympic Gold Medalist Long Jumper Greg Rutherford, as well as sports presenter Gabby Logan at the North City Games the day before the run.

Sarah also completed the Huntsman Open Water Triathlon in October.  £267 of the money raised was through a raffle at the activ8teme 2nd Birthday Party event, so a big thank you to those who contributed.

A big thank you to Jack Grindrod who produced our new activ8teme DVD and to everybody who played a part in it.  To view our DVD click here.  If you'd like to receive a FREE copy, please text your name and address to: 07976 498629.