July 2008

Hats off to fitness fundraisers!

Fitness enthusiasts from Lymington and New Milton Health and Leisure Centres raised thousands of pounds for charity when they took part in Cancer Research UK's Race for Life.

The 64 women and children who packed on to one large coach for the Southampton heat are all members of classes conducted at the two centres by fitness instructor Karen Sinden.

Karen has been helping to keep the people of the area fit with her classes since she moved to Lymington 7 years ago and she runs a dozen weekly sessions in such things as aerobics, aqua aerobics, body conditioning, pump (with weights) and spinning (with exercise bikes).

Rie Brown, programme manager at the centres, described the occasion as “a real family event” and commented: “Quite a lot brought their children as well.”

There was also support from Chris Wilshire, Headteacher at Lymington’s Priestlands School which made its running track available for special training sessions.

The coachload of energy and enthusiasm which set off from Lymington was carrying a wide age range from six to 66 and Karen said: “My classes touch a huge spectrum of people of different age ranges and different levels of fitness, so they had the choice of walking, jogging or running.

“A lot said they would not have gone to an event like this on their own but were very keen to go as part of one big happy group.”

The occasion was described by New Forest District Council’s leisure portfolio holder Barry Rickman as “the latest example of the public-spiritedness of the people who use our health and leisure centres.”

He added: “They gave up their day because they wanted to go out and support an extremely good cause which helps others and they had an enjoyable time in the process.

“A huge amount of money has been raised over the years by the fitness enthusiasts of the New Forest, including the council’s own staff, and it is wonderful to see the tradition being maintained.”