New exercise class - I'm a bit miffed.

I notice that Aely's letter has been sent; it is clear, concise and factual. and needs no alteration.

I hope she receives a satisfactory response

I generally think its better to sound a positive note.

As this group of local residents are aging, but not in contact enough with mainstream health (because of not knowing or not understanding how important exercise and other health basics as we get old - language and culture differences to aging)

.....It saves the NHS money for older people to have healthy lifestyles - prevention is better than later crisis intervention and so on.

I hope Aely gets a good result, its needed for all.

Fingers crossed indeed this can work out.

Goodness knows it would be a good idea for British people to also be able to get a place on courses - quite apart from any discrimination from British people not being allowed. Reason being these Nepalese women would have a chance to speak to a British woman that is prepared to help them to learn English in order to integrate better. It would be a good opportunity for them - from someone who knows that she's not necessarily expecting them to speak English. To me = win...win.....she gets her exercise...they get a chance to practice English.

One has to think practically about numbers of places etc. One small group - funded accordingly no doubt - simply could not take all the extra people. I really cannot see what the problems are with specialised groups, they come in all shapes and forms, and the most important thing is learning self care to stay out of hospitals, and each special needs groups have their own priorities.

I just find a "why should they get it approach so negative.
here you go as to getting funding - as its a well trodden path and I'm sure would be welcomed by local GP surgeries and other primary care providers..

www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=getting+funding+for+a+local+wellness+group&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Have I misunderstood this? if there were classes for English people only, wouldn`t some term that racist?

Phone whoever is actually giving the course, explain your situation (transportwise) and ask if you possibly could come even although you are not Nepalese.

If the instructor only speaks Nepalese, then this might not be possible, but it can do no harm to ask.

My feelings are strong, because surely we are aware that most of the Nepalese women will be from the small number of Gurkha families who have managed after the good work that Joanna Lumley did?
If the wives haven’t been in the UK for long, and are older, maybe elderly,

then do we really begrudge them some help in an atmosphere they feel they need, in terms of both understanding our health system and finding out more about how diet and exercise can help them

Free from feeling all the things they cant do, which currently may include a sparse knowledge of English?

Sorry, missed a bit out

"have managed to come to the UK (which was their right) after the good work Joanna Lumley did"

Are the classes being funded by a Nepalese organisation? That might explain it? They may be subsidising free classes for British attendees so that they can have paid classes in their own language.

The exercise classes I go to are for people referred by a GP only, but we still have to pay £30 a month to do them (standard Leisure Centre membership fee). I'm not sure whether people on benefits get them free, but they are not offered as such. I know that rooms in the Leisure Centre can be hired by private groups, so wonder if that's what's happened with the Nepalese ones.

Ask the Council and just explain your situation. Nothing racist about it.

It's not racist to simply ask for a class in your locality. its total common sense for your own community

But "they have it, why shouldn't we?"

I would have thought the most important thing, top priority, should be integration.

Aely Just the same as many jobs advertised are not for us "privileged whites".

Peaseblossom

Aely Just the same as many jobs advertised are not for us "privileged whites".

Really, what jobs are these?

The term 'White privilege' is not suggesting that white people are never poor or disadvantaged. It means that they may (or may not) be poor, but they have the privilege of not also suffering from the discrimination, resentment and assumptions that many who are not white contend with on a daily basis, and that everything they do doesn't need to be justified to others, who think they have a right to question it.

There is a huge difference between having a class for one group of people (eg the Nepalese) and excluding one group of people whilst accepting everyone else. So if the class were for everyone except the Nepalese it would be discriminatory, but having a class only for the Nepalese (or for the old, the young, the unfit, the disabled, for women, for men etc) is targeting the service and not discriminatory at all, particularly if they are paying for it.

It's no different from having a class for advanced speakers of Arabic - I could go along, but it would be pointless, as I wouldn't be able to join in, and I wouldn't have a clue what was being said.

The class is described as
......' having both Physical and Social activities (it lasts for 2 hours instead of the normal 1 hour) to help participants make new friends as well as stay healthy.'

Absolutely ideal for people new to make friends with English and Nepalese while all participating in healthy exercise. No need for anyone to be excluded.

I think we have to trust that the organisers have good reason, possibly numbers, and very specific needs as stated by that group. Its not for us to enforce what they should or shouldn't be doing.

foxie48

Premier League Football Clubs: Several clubs, including Manchester United and Liverpool, advertised youth coaching roles as "positive action schemes" stating applications would only be accepted from individuals from Black, Asian, and Mixed Heritage backgrounds, as well as women.

West Yorkshire Police: A major UK police force was accused of temporarily blocking white British candidates from applying for constable roles in a bid to boost diversity. The force defended the move, but critics argued it was discriminatory.

BBC: The broadcaster faced criticism and legal challenges for advertising trainee broadcast journalist and scriptwriter positions specifically for BAME (Black, Asian, and non-white minority ethnic) candidates. The BBC defended these as lawful "positive action" training schemes designed to address under-representation in certain roles.

MI5, MI6, and GCHQ: A summer internship program offered by UK intelligence services was open only to ethnic minority candidates from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

And that's just for starters!

Peaseblossom

foxie48

Premier League Football Clubs: Several clubs, including Manchester United and Liverpool, advertised youth coaching roles as "positive action schemes" stating applications would only be accepted from individuals from Black, Asian, and Mixed Heritage backgrounds, as well as women.

West Yorkshire Police: A major UK police force was accused of temporarily blocking white British candidates from applying for constable roles in a bid to boost diversity. The force defended the move, but critics argued it was discriminatory.

BBC: The broadcaster faced criticism and legal challenges for advertising trainee broadcast journalist and scriptwriter positions specifically for BAME (Black, Asian, and non-white minority ethnic) candidates. The BBC defended these as lawful "positive action" training schemes designed to address under-representation in certain roles.

MI5, MI6, and GCHQ: A summer internship program offered by UK intelligence services was open only to ethnic minority candidates from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

And that's just for starters!

This post isn’t directed at you peaseblossom
Am I the only one who thinks the above is insulting/ patronising/ condescending.
All that’s missing is a virtual pat on the head.

Am almost beginning to think some regard me as old-fashioned that I think everything should be "come one come all" and therefore first come first served. Also the "best person for the job" gets it - and I'm even more convinced of that point after moving to Wales and hearing that sometimes it ain't happening and the best person is being denied the job sometimes.

Any time....any context....there should not be either racism/reverse racism/nationalism. Just "Who is the best/most appropriate person - and that's the one that gets it". It just puzzles me as to why anyone would have any criteria other than "Who is the best person?" You can't start introducing criteria like that if there are two "best people" for one position - but if that ain't the case = as that old pop song goes "Shut uppa yer face" and forget any form of discrimination you might like to do and just take the one best one.

So it says it’s open to Nepalese women - it doesn’t say it’s only for Nepalese women. Reads to me like an encouragement? And it doesn’t say no ethnic British.

Peaseblossom

foxie48

Premier League Football Clubs: Several clubs, including Manchester United and Liverpool, advertised youth coaching roles as "positive action schemes" stating applications would only be accepted from individuals from Black, Asian, and Mixed Heritage backgrounds, as well as women.

West Yorkshire Police: A major UK police force was accused of temporarily blocking white British candidates from applying for constable roles in a bid to boost diversity. The force defended the move, but critics argued it was discriminatory.

BBC: The broadcaster faced criticism and legal challenges for advertising trainee broadcast journalist and scriptwriter positions specifically for BAME (Black, Asian, and non-white minority ethnic) candidates. The BBC defended these as lawful "positive action" training schemes designed to address under-representation in certain roles.

MI5, MI6, and GCHQ: A summer internship program offered by UK intelligence services was open only to ethnic minority candidates from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

And that's just for starters!

I genuinely cannot cant understand why you are relating all these examples to a relatively small group having a one off course set up on a "special needs" basis as a health based initiative.

Different groups in the community do have different needs, and it is quite possible, as we find the greater emphasis on prevention rather than later longer and more expensive treatment of conditions, that this group of women,

(particularly if they indeed have come over relatively recently following the settlement long overdue for a small number of Gurkha families)

are in urgent need of specific kinds of help.

For all we know, including greater use of the English Language to talk to doctors and medical staff. It's quite possible that numbers are limited and all places filled and that chunks of the help they get would be irrelevant to people born and lived all their lives in the UK.

Nothing to do with big BAME policies on a large scale,

I find it incredible people object to this group.

The way forward surely is to spend the energy spent grumbling but finding out about how the people in the locality who have health needs of specific kinds to ask for help, to ask for funding, make a good case out. If we cant do it ourselves, we ask via our GP's or the specialists who treat out condition

I think this is all to do with funding, and funding comes with provisos.
OP says she has been recommended a course, but has to catch a bus to get there.
My suggestion is that she asks if there is any funding available for a more local class? It is quite amazing how funding can be accessed if there any enough people interested. I think maybe there isn't enough interest in the local population to set one up- maybe do some looking into this?
Meanwhile there is a group set up from which OP feels excluded but there maybe more people interested in attending this one, and so the funding has been sought.
It is difficult to know for sure- but maybe OP should focus on the groups she can access rather than those she can't?
I don't see how this anything to do with racism.

Yes - there will always be special needs groups set up when a set of clear needs specific to that group are identified and funding set up for it.

Yes, I find it poignant and have said why that this particular group should be seized upon for criticism,

for, had the group had been say for people with learning difficulties, I doubt the complaints would have been made.

Too much supposition.
A person has used an exercise class which proved beneficial for her health at her doctor's recommendation. Another one has been organised for the same purpose but she is excluded, apparently on the grounds of her nationality.
I hope Aely will continue her investigation and be allowed to participate in the exercise class because of her medical needs, which is the purpose of the class.