“It makes me feel stronger and fitter”, “I’ve got better balance and strength”, and “I’ve loved the class”.
This is how women described a 24-week Stronger for Life yoga project run by Diversity Resource International CIC (DRI), funded through East Sussex Public Health and distributed by Active Sussex.
DRI ran the project between January and July 2025 and targeted women aged 50–75+ from diverse ethnic minority backgrounds, including Asian, Asian British, White and other ethnic groups.
These groups are statistically among the least likely to be physically active and often feel unwelcome or unrepresented in mainstream fitness spaces.
Women attended from Eastbourne, Polegate, Seaford, Lewes and Newhaven.
Many faced overlapping barriers such as low physical activity levels; chronic pain, stiffness or reduced mobility; social isolation; language barriers; caring responsibilities limiting time for self‑care; and cultural or financial barriers to joining mainstream classes.
DRI designed the programme specifically around these needs.
Sessions were held in a familiar, accessible dance studio in Eastbourne town centre and delivered by a qualified yoga instructor experienced in older‑adult activity.
Staff created a multilingual, culturally sensitive environment, offering reassurance, adaptations and one‑to‑one support for anyone nervous about starting exercise.
One women’s experience
One story that emerged from the project concerned a woman named Lily, whose experience captures the heart of the project.
In her sixties and a full‑time carer, she rarely has time for herself. Yet she attended almost every Stronger for Life yoga session, proud to discover she had the best attendance in the group.
What she valued most was simple but profound: one uninterrupted hour each week that was “all about me”.
“It gives me that one hour to be all about me,” she said. “I can improve my health and mix with different cultures.”
When she began, she struggled to keep up. By the end, she could hold a balance pose for 100 counts – a personal milestone she celebrated with joy.
“Because I’m feeling better, it rolls into my personal life. It makes me feel stronger and fitter.”
Her experience demonstrates exactly why this project mattered: when women who face multiple barriers are given a safe, culturally sensitive space to move, breathe, and connect, the impact extends far beyond physical activity.
What the sessions involved
Each one‑hour class combined:
WhatsApp reminders and encouragement helped women feel supported between sessions. Feedback was actively sought and acted upon, for example, adjusting intensity or modifying movements to ensure comfort and safety.
Across the project, 33 women took part, with around 12 attending each week.
What changed and why it matters
The project achieved measurable improvements in physical health.
By the end of the 24 weeks, participants held their balance for an average of nearly three seconds longer in post‑programme tests.
Women also reported greater strength, mobility and stability, with many experiencing reduced stiffness and pain.
Several described feeling “fitter”, “stronger” and more confident moving day‑to‑day.
At the end of the project, a survey found that participants felt ‘more strongly’ that they were more confident, they enjoyed exercise, and they were able to be physically active in their own way.
But the deeper impact lay in what this meant for their lives.
For women who are carers, isolated, or living with chronic pain, improved balance and strength directly support independence, fall prevention and long‑term wellbeing.
Increased confidence in movement also helps overcome emotional barriers – fear of judgement, embarrassment, or feeling out of place – that often prevent older ethnically diverse women from accessing physical activity.
This is the “so what”: the project didn’t just help women move better. It helped them believe they could move, belong, and prioritise themselves.
What women told us
WhatsApp messages and in‑person feedback showed genuine enthusiasm and pride:
Many said this was the only hour each week that was truly theirs.
Building community, confidence and connection
The sessions created a supportive, women-only environment and provided a sense of belonging to those who felt intimidated by mainstream classes.
It was also a space where language barriers were recognised and addressed, and an added benefit was that peer encouragement reduced loneliness and isolation.
For women who rarely have time for themselves, especially carers, this community was as important as the physical activity itself.
Why the project was needed
DRI’s ongoing work with ethnically diverse and migrant communities highlighted a clear gap: women wanted gentle, accessible exercise that respected their cultural needs, language preferences and physical limitations.
National data reinforces this need. Ethnic minority groups are among the least physically active, while older women (65+) are less likely than men to meet strength and balance guidelines.
Barriers include cost, confidence, transport, caring duties and fear of judgement.
Stronger for Life directly addressed these barriers with a tailored, culturally sensitive approach.
Evidence of lasting impact
The project achieved measurable improvements in balance; increased confidence in structured exercise; greater awareness of daily movement and self‑care; reduced loneliness; and clear signs of behaviour change with many women wanting to continue yoga.
For funders, this demonstrates that when programmes are designed with communities, not just for them, the benefits extend far beyond the class itself.
Challenges and what we learned
The project also revealed important learning:
These challenges strengthened the programme rather than hindered it, reinforcing the importance of flexibility, cultural sensitivity and adequate resourcing for community‑based projects.
The difference it made
Stronger for Life helped women who are often excluded from physical activity feel seen, supported and capable.
It improved physical health, boosted confidence, reduced isolation and created a community where women could prioritise themselves – sometimes for the first time in years.
Lily’s story is just one example, but it reflects the experience of many: when given the right environment, older ethnically diverse women can thrive, grow stronger and reconnect with their own wellbeing.