A £9,000 bid has been made to fund in demand classes to support pregnant women and new parents in south west Ipswich.

StartStrong Fitness currently run parent & baby exercise classes in Ipswich, Colchester and Braintree and have asked Ipswich Borough Council's south west area committee to help them set up an additional class every Thursday at St Francis Church in Chantry. 

The classes are completely free offering a safe and supportive environment, for new parents and pregnant women through tailored fitness sessions that focus on both mental and physical well-being.

Each of their session is 45 minutes long and is led by pre and post-natal specialists.

In a report to the committee, the organisation says the bid for £9,045 would cover the cost of staff, hall hire, equipment costs, legislations, training and evaluation for a year.

In addition the weekly classes have consistently been fully booked and has a waiting list "highlighting the demand in the south west Ipswich area".

In their grant application, they wrote to the area committee stating: "Our Parent & Baby Exercise Classes are designed to provide crucial support to new parents, ensuring their physical and mental well-being.

"Through careful financial management, strategic partnerships, and a focus on sustainability, we are committed to maintaining and growing our services to meet the ongoing needs of our community."

The committee will meet on Thursday, at St Peter's Church in Chantry to discuss this further.