Free live online exercise classes for people with Parkinson's run on 25 November and 16 December, 1pm to 2pm. Places are capped; here is how to book.

People in Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay living with Parkinson’s can join a free live exercise class from home on Wednesday 25 November, from 1pm to 2pm. It is the third of four monthly online sessions run by Parkinson’s UK with Brand Inc Fitness, and the last follows on 16 December.

Updated 3 November: the 28 October session has passed; the Eventbrite listing now shows the next class on Wednesday 25 November, 1pm to 2pm.

The programme, called Moving Forward, is aimed at people with Parkinson’s who are inactive or new to exercise classes since their diagnosis. Places are limited, and the charity says demand is likely to be high.

The essentials

  • What: Moving Forward, live online exercise sessions for people with Parkinson’s
  • When: Wednesdays, 1pm to 2pm: 28 October, 25 November and 16 December 2026
  • Where: online, from home
  • Cost: free, according to the Eventbrite booking page (checked 21 October)
  • Places: the charity’s announcement says 20; the booking page says 15, first come, first served, with a waiting list if the sessions fill
  • Also included: four months’ free access to Brand Inc Fitness’s online video library
  • Help booking: the booking page gives jparsons@parkinsons.org.uk for anyone who has trouble completing it

What the sessions cover

Each of the four sessions takes one theme. The first, on 23 September according to the booking page, has already run:

  1. Strong Foundations, Stronger You: core strength, posture and stability
  2. Whole Body Movement: a full-body session combining strength, mobility and wellbeing
  3. Move & Mobilise Through Life: flexibility, mobility and ease of movement
  4. Strength for Everyday Life: functional exercises to support daily activities

The order above is the one Parkinson’s UK gives; the charity’s announcement does not say which theme falls on which date, so check the booking page if you want a particular one. Every session can be done standing or seated, and participants are told to go at their own pace.

Alongside the live classes, people who sign up get four months’ free access to the Brand Inc Fitness online platform, a library of exercise videos to use at home between sessions.

Who runs them

The classes are led by Richard Pinchen, the founder of Brand Inc Fitness, which the company says started 25 years ago. The booking page describes him as an adaptive fitness trainer who has spent more than 25 years working with people with a wide range of health conditions and disabilities.

“I believe fitness should be accessible to EVERY Body,” he said. “Working with Parkinson’s UK gives us a fantastic opportunity to help more people stay active, build confidence and enjoy the benefits of regular movement in a way that works for them.

“The monthly Live sessions supported by free access to the Inclusive Online Training Programme means people can exercise at home, at their own pace and at a time that suits them. With the colder, darker months approaching, I hope it gives people another simple and accessible way to keep moving between the live sessions.”

Jed Parsons, Physical Activity Delivery Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said the charity knew that starting was the hard part for many people.

“We know that being physically active can play an important role in helping people with Parkinson’s manage their condition, but we also know that getting started can be a real challenge, particularly for people who have been inactive or are new to exercise,” he said.

“Moving Forward is about breaking down some of those barriers and giving people a friendly, supportive and accessible way to start moving more from the comfort of their own home.

“We hope the programme will help people build confidence, discover activities they enjoy and encourage them to continue being active.”

Why the charity is pushing exercise

Parkinson’s UK lists the benefits it says regular activity can bring for people with the condition: better balance and coordination; more strength, flexibility and mobility; a better sense of wellbeing; better memory and thinking skills; more social contact; and better speech and communication.

The charity says Parkinson’s has more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety, and that someone in the UK is diagnosed every 20 minutes.

What it means for you

If you, or someone you care for, has Parkinson’s and has not exercised much since the diagnosis, this is a no-cost way to start without travelling anywhere. With 15 to 20 places across the whole country, book early on the Eventbrite page.

For information and support about the condition, Parkinson’s UK runs a free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303, and has more at parkinsons.org.uk.

Closer to home, money for people living with neurological conditions in the district is also being raised at the Lord Mayor’s charity gig at Westgate Hall on 30 October, in aid of Kent Neuro Therapy Centre.