EAST LINDSEY fitness whiz Naomi Wilkinson-Baker is leading the call for people to get up and active on World Health Day, as the leisure centres she leads prepare to open again.
Area General Manager Naomi and her colleagues at the Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure & Culture are making last minute preparations to open the district’s premier leisure and fitness venues. From Monday, April 12, they will be ready for socially distanced and same-household gym and swim sessions.
Youth group activities are also back on from Monday April 12 with All Swimming Clubs returning to the pools. Meanwhile outdoor Zumba has already started on the astro turf area outside the Louth venue, with further outdoor sessions being planned there and at Magna Vitae’s other centres in Horncastle, Mablethorpe and Skegness. People are asked to check online or on the website for latest news.
In both Horncastle and Skegness the indoor pools will also be open again from April 12 with Skegness’ outdoor pool undergoing unavoidable maintenance work and due to open in May half term. Indoor group adult classes will then start in line with Government guidelines, from May 17.
Stressing just how much the Magna Vitae teams were looking forward to welcoming customers back, Naomi used World Health Day as a reason to highlight the importance of health and wellbeing in East Lindsey.
Data from the British Heart Foundation reveals an estimated 27,000 people are living with heart and circulatory diseases in the district, with 8,200 living with coronary heart disease. Added to that, the BHF data shows how 12,000 people in East Lindsey have been diagnosed with diabetes (Type 2 being linked to health and diet), approx. 36 per cent of adults do not take part in physical activity and an estimated 65 per cent of over 18s are classed as having obesity or excess weight issues. In line with The Sport England strategy, it’s time to get hearts pumping!
“During lockdown we have kept our classes going virtually and they have been really well received. There have been benefits too, with people being able to take part even if they have not previously been able to travel to a centre,” said Naomi.
“But it’s been great to see the Zumba starting outside again at Meridian and we hope to grow that. When you consider both physical and mental health, it is having that social interaction and connection with people that’s so important, along with the exercise. Now we just can’t wait to get people back in our centres,” she added.
Plans include free body composition Readings using different measurements like BMI and metabolic age, Lifestyle Consultants will invite people in for health MOTs and guide them to the exercise that may help them to lead healthier lives. Whilst people are advised to pre-book online for these and any sessions, Naomi said it was not always necessary.
“We want to encourage people to come in, to see what we do and to be inspired to either return to us or to start exercising and enjoying themselves with no barriers. Come in and say hello, we’ll be here,” she said.
For up to date information visit the venue pages and keep a look out on our social media channels for the latest information.