Support Line: 0151 651 3777 | General Enquiries: 0151 294 4176 info@paullavellefoundation.co.uk

Activity Groups

Improved self-esteem, confidence and overall wellbeing.

The PLF offers inclusive Community Activity Groups in the form of weekly swimming, cycling and running clubs, for both males and females of any ability run by our Trustees and volunteers.

Cycling, Swimming, Running

Free activities, and no membership or regular commitment required

Our regular weekly groups operate on a self-referral basis to encourage physical and mental health and wellbeing through exercise and outdoor activities, and they are completely free of charge.

A safe space to enjoy a range of activities with likeminded people

Our activity groups offer support to all, from general camaraderie with likeminded people, to aspiration raising, working towards personal and group goals. They are also a safe space to speak out and disclose any concerns you have about mental health or domestic abuse issues.

A sense of achievement and accomplishment can be gained by attendees at all levels of fitness, resulting in improved self-esteem, confidence and over all well-being.

Cycling Club

Our cycling club is currently for experienced riders who have experience of riding 20 miles plus. Both males and females are welcome and we meet at weekends at various times.

Road bikes are the preference for the group and designated routes are planned each week with stop off points.

Keep an eye on our social media channels for weekly times and meeting points. If you do not have a social media account, then please email us at info@paullavellefoundation.co.uk for more information.

Ride for fun

The group cycles together for support and encouragement and there is the option to set personal or group goals or also just to ride for fun!

Our cycling club participates in annual cycling challenges which all participants have the option to train towards.

In August 2018 32 PLF riders and a support team cycled the length of the UK from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise awareness of male domestic abuse. See the emotional start to their LEJOG journey here.

Cold Water Swimming Club

The PLF runs a cold-water swimming group at 7:30 every Sunday morning at New Brighton Marina. The group is open to both males and females who wish to learn about and feel the benefits of cold water swimming.

Our experienced swimming instructors will guide you and support you with your journey.

How to swim safely

Approach it with the same caution you would exercise – if you have heart disease, start slow and warm.

Make sure you can swim and start in a specialist swimming group

Preferably start in summer/early autumn when UK sea temperatures are 15-20°C

Start shallow – a gently shelving beach, or somewhere with a ladder

Go on a calm day – the initial two to three-minute period gasp when you can inhale water is the risky bit. Relax, do as little as possible and keep your head above the water for this period

Time yourself for two to three minutes. Once your skin reaches the same temperature as the water you’ll feel warm

Six three-minute swims will have an effect on your cold shock response that will last for months. As for your mood – you’ll have to be the judge until there are more studies!

Benefits

Cold water swimming has been proven to have many physical and mental health benefits.

Outdoor exercise and the companionship of fellow swimmers can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Immersion in cold water induces a stress response: a set of physiological and hormonal reactions that evolved millions of years ago to cope with a wide range of potential threats.  (Animal attack, jumping in cold water and sitting an exam all elicit a similar response).

Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate all increase and stress hormones are released.  But, if you immerse yourself only a few times in water of 15C or less, this stress response is reduced.

However, it is not only the stress response to cold water that reduces with repeated immersions.

Cold water swimmers describe many benefits: they never get colds and never turn the heating on in winter.  Many have stories of how they came to outdoor swimming in times of grief or bereavement and found comfort, even joy, in the water.

Click here for further information.

Running Club

Our weekly running club is for both males and females of any ability and takes place every Thursday at 6pm. Our running club guides will support you with your training.

The meeting points change each week and can be found on our social media channels.  If you do not have a social media account, then please email us at info@paullavellefoundation.co.uk for more information.

Our running groups are friendly, and everyone encourages each other to do well. There is the option to set personal goals or you can just run for fun!

The PLF also has an annual 5 and 10k race day fundraiser every May which participants have the option to enter.

Group 1

Runners with the ability to achieve 7:30 – 9:00 minute miles

Group 2

Runners with the ability to achieve 9:00 – 11:00 minute miles

Group 3

All-inclusive beginners’ level for anyone who wishes to start their running journey.

TESTIMONIAL

After having a terrible 2019 with mental health and unable to find the answer as to why. I drifted into the darkest of places and no longer wanted to be here. The guys from the Charity took me under their wing starting with the Open Water Swimming (in mid Winter) and then upping the ante getting me running! I was hugely over weight, feeling low but this all changed thanks to the lads at the charity. They checked in regularly, encouraged and pushed me to this point now where I’m feeling much more like myself and having lost weight to competing in Swimming events and getting out to socialize too 😀

The charity does amazing work for men suffering in silence and unable to find a way out…they do just that and all in the memory of their great friend Paul Lavelle who was killed whilst in an abusive relationship with a woman. This left complete devastation amongst many including his 3 children, 1 of which I have the great honour of training with each week.

John – Prenton, Wirral.

Need support?

If you or someone you know or work with needs support, or if you’d just like to find out more about how we can help, please get in touch today.