A World Record for Derbyshire!
On Thursday 25 September 2025 Age UK Derby and Derbyshire and its Falls Prevention Service: Live Stronger for Longer, with Chesterfield FC Community Trust, brought 1,200 people together at Chesterfield FC’s stadium to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest chair-based exercise session.
The previous record was set in Hong Kong in 2016 with 731 participants and thanks to months of effort and the enthusiasm of all our supporters we smashed that record!
It took months of planning and some wonderful collaboration between Age UK Derby and Derbyshire’s Live Stronger for Longer team and the Chesterfield FC Community Trust to make the day run like clockwork.
Instructors from both teams worked up a demanding but fun chair-based exercise routine to be delivered to local primary school pupils, college students and hundreds of older people sitting in the stands. For older people who regularly attend the Live Stronger for Longer community classes, the exercises were familiar, but for people new to chair-based exercise, it was a bit of a shock just how much energy was needed for the 30 minutes of continuous exercise!
Jo Briggs, who leads the Live Stronger for Longer falls prevention service said: “I don’t think anyone involved in the planning has slept much this week but it’s all been worth it.
“We’ve demonstrated the importance of strength and balance exercise throughout our lives and how much fun our classes can be – we’ve set a new record and everyone joined in and left with a smile on their face.”
Chesterfield FC Community Trust know from their Healthy Communities work the value of the chair-based exercise classes they deliver each week for the Trust’s Senior Spireites group. Many of their group members joined in the record attempt from all over the County.
Live Stronger for Longer classes are available in every community in Derbyshire, and the Strong and Steady programme offers a free 24-week holistic falls prevention and exercise boost to older people before they join a community class.
In all the excitement of the day Katy Pugh, CEO Age UK Derby and Derbyshire, said “It’s been a fantastic partnership enabled by our commissioners in Public Health at Derbyshire County Council and we’ve been able to break the record and highlight the value of chair based exercise as part of Derbyshire’s Falls Prevention Pathway.
“Derbyshire’s work is unique in its continuity, collaboration and energy, and every day our work in developing and delivering falls prevention exercise in the community and care homes will change how we age”.
We wait to hear from Guinness World Records for confirmation that, allowing for disqualifications, we have achieved a new world record of at least 1,163 people doing CBE exercise together for a full 30 minutes.