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Staffordshire creative health project set to help more communities get active

A new circus-skills based activity programme is aiming to help more Staffordshire communities get active in 2026.

By contributor Philip Lindley
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Communities, local groups and activity providers from across Staffordshire are being encouraged to try a free local creative health training programme from Upswing. Supported by Parkinson’s UK, the physical activity programme aims to help more local people with Parkinson’s to live well in a fun and creative way. 

  • When: Saturday, March 28 from 1pm to 6pm 

  • Where: New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG 

Called Homemade Circus, the free training session will teach participants about the principles of accessible circus skills which are all designed to help more local people with Parkinson’s to live well with the condition. 

In the free training session, participants will learn about the key principles of delivering the Homemade Circus sessions for people with Parkinson’s and how creative health and movement can be adapted to support people with Parkinson’s. 

Homemade Circus is the new exercise and wellbeing programme from Upswing which is aiming to get more Staffordshire communities moving.
Homemade Circus is the new exercise and wellbeing programme from Upswing which is aiming to get more Staffordshire communities moving.

The aim of the training session is to deliver more circus skills sessions for people living with Parkinson’s across Staffordshire. No previous experience of movement or creative health training is required and the training session is delivered by an experienced team.

Being active can have many benefits for people living with Parkinson’s, including: 

  • Improved balance and coordination 

  • Better strength, flexibility and mobility 

  • Improved sense of wellbeing and mindfulness 

  • Better memory and cognitive skills 

  • Greater social interaction 

  • Improved speech and communications skills

Celine McKillion, Senior Producer at Upswing, said: “We are grateful for this support from Parkinson’s UK to adapt our successful Homemade Circus programme for communities with Parkinson's in the Staffordshire area. 

“We have seen how this kind of circus activity can bring huge benefits in improving the physical mobility, balance, coordination and wellbeing of participants and we are really excited to pass these skills and benefits on.”

For more information about the new Upswing project, contact Anna Duncan on anna@upswing.org.uk.