At Hand in Hand Activities CIC and Young at Heart ULO CIC, we are always looking for creative ways to support our local community with opportunities to stay active, improve wellbeing, and connect with others.
Thanks to generous funding from the One Stop Community Partnership Programme, we were recently able to offer a new experience to our members — a Sharin Tao Tai Chi taster session, delivered at Grays Road Institute.
This was our first opportunity to introduce Tai Chi into our movement and falls prevention work. The session attracted eight participants and generated valuable learning about how this form of movement might support the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of our community members going forward.
What is Sharin Tao Tai Chi?
Sharin Tao Tai Chi, sometimes referred to as The Shaolin Way, is a contemporary approach to Tai Chi that draws inspiration from several traditions:
- Shaolin martial arts — known for their disciplined body mechanics, mindfulness of movement, and flow
- Tai Chi (Taijiquan) — an ancient Chinese practice of slow, deliberate movement designed to harmonise mind and body
- Qigong — energy-based breath and movement work used for cultivating balance, health, and inner calm
This blend of influences makes Sharin Tao Tai Chi somewhat different from the more commonly seen Yang style Tai Chi for health — which tends to be purely flowing and meditative with little martial content.
Sharin Tao maintains more connection to its Shaolin roots, meaning some of the movements taught include martial origins or references. The style can offer powerful benefits for strength, posture, and awareness, but it is important to adapt its delivery depending on the needs and expectations of the group taking part.
The Holistic Benefits of Tai Chi
Research consistently highlights the value of Tai Chi for improving wellbeing across many domains. While each individual experiences it differently, here are some of the known benefits:
Physical Health:
- Improves balance and coordination — a key protective factor in reducing the risk of falls
- Builds leg strength and joint mobility — supporting everyday functional movement
- Enhances flexibility and range of motion
- Supports cardiovascular and respiratory function through rhythmic breathing
Mental Health:
- Reduces stress and anxiety through mindful, breath-led movement
- Increases mental clarity and focus
- Promotes relaxation and a sense of calm
Emotional Wellbeing & Social Connection:
- Encourages feelings of confidence and capability
- Offers an inclusive group activity that builds social bonds
- Fosters a sense of achievement and enjoyment through learning new skills
For our participants, many of whom live with long-term health conditions, limited mobility, or early-stage dementia, these benefits align strongly with our organisational aims of promoting healthy ageing and community integration.
Shaping the Sessions to Meet Our Goals
Our initial taster session provided valuable insight into how best to structure future classes to meet the needs of our community.
Thanks to participant feedback and observation, we are now working with our instructor to ensure that future sessions:
- Prioritise falls prevention and balance-building
- Emphasise flowing, accessible movement over martial application
- Use language and pacing appropriate for a mixed-ability, dementia-friendly group
- Include warm-up and cool-down segments to protect against muscle fatigue
- Offer options for seated or resting participation when needed
- Maintain a supportive, enjoyable, and socially engaging atmosphere
By actively listening to participants and collaborating with our instructor, we are confident that we can evolve these sessions into a valuable regular offering for our community.
What’s Next?
Based on strong interest from this first session, we are planning to deliver a series of further taster sessions to gauge sustained interest and explore the potential for a regular Tai Chi class.
This will allow us to refine the approach, ensure accessibility for all who wish to take part, and continue learning how Tai Chi can complement our wider work in:
- falls prevention
- fitness and mobility for older adults
- mental wellbeing
- community integration and social connectedness
Acknowledgements
We are deeply grateful to One Stop for funding this work through the One Stop Community Partnership Programme. Their support enables us to offer creative, inclusive health and wellbeing opportunities that otherwise would not be accessible to many of our members.
This work also represents a valued collaboration between our two organisations — Hand in Hand Activities CIC and Young at Heart ULO CIC — reflecting our shared commitment to supporting people living with dementia, older adults, carers, and anyone in the wider community looking to improve their wellbeing through movement and connection.
Join Us
If you would like to try a future session, or are interested in accessing Tai Chi through our wider activities, please get in touch.
We would love to welcome you.
Together, we move better, feel better, and connect better.
