A packed schedule of free and low-cost wellbeing activities is taking place at Gloucester Docks through to 4 June 2026, offering everything from guided canal walks and chair yoga to paddling tasters on the water. The National Waterways Museum Gloucester is running the sessions from its Llanthony Warehouse base, with all events open to the community and funded by Thriving Communities and Sport England.
Residents can try nordic walking, movement and mindfulness classes, and free community paddling in Canadian canoes, stand-up paddleboards and sit-on-top kayaks. The Barge Arm Pontoon used for water sessions has been upgraded with step-free access suitable for wheelchair users, enabling inclusive and adaptive paddling for everyone. Yoga and pilates take place on Sabrina 5, a refurbished static barge moored at the docks that provides a calm, small-group setting led by qualified instructors.
A free art walk from the docks to Alney Island on 3 June, led by artist Martin Clark, invites participants to sketch and create along the route. The following day, on Thursday, 4 June, a dedicated programme called Better by Water for 11 to 16-year-olds focuses on mental health and wellbeing by the water from 5pm to 7pm at the museum.
The activity hub programme runs right through to the end of its final day, with all sessions free of charge. Chair yoga, for example, is offered at no cost thanks to funding from Thriving Communities, while the accessible pontoon was paid for by Sport England and the Canoe Foundation.
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