Older people in areas like Ballymun, Santry and Finglas are getting more physically active. That’s thanks to 20 newly qualified PALS - physical activity leaders – who graduate on Tuesday, 17th November.
The PAL’s course trains participants to lead their peers in short exercise routines, simple dance, fun games and recreational sports and is specifically designed to meet the needs of older people. 

Enjoyment is the name of the game and this has certainly proved to be the case with one participant, Janet O’Byrne from Santry, who describes the training as “tremendous, full of activity but not too strenuous so everyone could get involved and we had lots and lots of fun and laughter doing it”. 

Dublin City Council’s North West Area Manager Michael O’Neill will present the graduates with their qualification awards at 14.30 on Tuesday 17th November at Larkhill Scout Hall in Whitehall. Dublin City Council organised the training with the organisation Go for Life (Age and Opportunity).

Michael O’Neill says

“I would like to congratulate everybody who is qualifying as a PAL today. Dublin City Council and Go for Life invited members of local active retirement groups in the North West Area to attend PAL training on a voluntary basis. All 20 available places were filled and the participants attended training at Larkhill Scout Hall every Tuesday since 29th September. The workshops included a mix of theory and practical work and the participants now have the skills and confidence to deliver these activities to their own groups and communities where their skills will be a great asset and greatly appreciated.”

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