Colchester Borough Council and FaNs Network have partnered with Mr Motivator’s online club to support care home residents to get moving across the county. To launch the campaign and celebrate a milestone birthday, Mr Motivator, 69, is making a special visit to a local care home.
The TV wellbeing and fitness legend will be heading to Down Hall Care Home, Bradwell-on-Sea, Southminster, on Wednesday 22 September, at 11am, to host the birthday workout and celebration for Marion Watson, who turns 102 this week.
Colchester Borough Council, in partnership with FaNs Network, received funding from the Active Essex ‘Find Your Active’ campaign to give 27 Essex care homes the opportunity to exclusively subscribe to the Mr Motivators Club, to help keep them moving and reaping the benefits of a more active lifestyle – a first in the UK.
The surprise birthday workout has been organised in partnership with Colchester Borough Council, the Essex FaNs Network and Mr Motivator’s online club, which has been specially designed for the older person. The Motivation Club extends the wellbeing guru’s trademark motivation beyond the physical and includes expert advice on sensible eating, mental fitness, and provides a community to help battle loneliness, especially in older people.
Councillor Beverley Oxford, Colchester Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Communities, said: “We are delighted that Mr. Motivator is launching this partnership work with such an exciting birthday celebration workout. Exercise is so important to both physical and mental wellbeing, particularly in older people. It is a great opportunity for people to get moving amongst friends, doing an activity which is fun and tailored to their needs.
“The council is committed to supporting residents in Colchester and Essex in doing the things they enjoy and helping them to stay healthy, happy and physically active.”
According to Sport England’s Active Lives survey [1], Coronavirus lockdowns have caused “unprecedented” falls in activity levels. 11.6 million people are now classed as inactive in the UK and the research shows this increases the older you get. 60% of over 75-year-olds do less than 30 minutes of walking or activity per week.
Research from Age UK [2] also shows that many previously independent adults now report finding it harder to do daily activities such as going up the stairs or walking the same distances they used to be able to since the start of the pandemic.
Mr Motivator is passionate about improving the quality of life for older people through movement, fun and positivity. He has handpicked a team of specialist ‘Motivators’ from all over the UK and Ireland to create the expert advice, support and activities, many of whom have experience working with older people. His own workouts are tailored towards the older person, and he is always accompanied by his wife, Palmer, who performs all the exercises from a chair, demonstrating how you can still take part if you have any mobility issues.
Mr Motivator said: “Your wellbeing is a way of life. It’s never too late to start your fitness journey and age is no barrier. The most important thing you can have is an independent, healthier you. You must not underestimate the impact that exercise can have on your mental and physical wellbeing. There is a curative power to exercise and those who are least active stand to benefit the most from their health and happiness.”
Tony Lee, Community Networks Lead for Essex from FaNs, an innovative project aimed at reducing loneliness and isolation from the lives of elderly care home residents, said: “It’s incredibly important that care home residents remain active. I’m hugely proud of the relationship we have with Mr Motivator as I know first-hand the difference it makes to older people in care homes, especially at the moment, when many care homes still have restricted access to their wider communities.”
This workout follows on from a successful Zoom pilot workout Mr Motivator held, which brought together hundreds of care home residents across the county to get active whilst Covid restrictions were still in place.
Page last reviewed: 22 September 2021