Regular exercise after retirement helps you get out, stay active and make new friends, say Haringey’s health ambassadors, as the council launches its over-65s free fitness campaign.
The Health Ambassadors are the face of the council’s new campaign, which aims to get more older people into the keep-fit habit, with a host of free classes and facilities on offer at each of the borough’s main leisure centres.
Regular gym goer Dot Collins, aged 75 from Hornsey, said: “I think it’s a good thing for when you retire because it gets you out and active. It motivates you to be active really and you meet other people. You can do it at your own pace – it’s up to you. You don’t have to be competitive.”
John Hadley, aged 72, from Noel Park agrees. He said: “If you come to the gym, even if it's once a week, you can socialise and get to know different people, and you can start to get stronger.”
Haringey’s over 65 health ambassadors attend free gym sessions and fitness classes available at Park Road, Broadwater Farm or Tottenham Green leisure centres, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.They can choose from various fitness classes like Zumba and Pilates, do a few laps in the swimming pool, or do their own thing in the gym.
Cabinet Member for Finance and Health, Councillor Jason Arthur said:
“We are delighted to have the support of our health ambassadors to champion health and fitness in Haringey – they show how much of a difference regular exercise can make to your physical and emotional wellbeing. With free access to Haringey’s state-of-the-art leisure facilities on offer to all residents aged 65 and over, there’s never been a better time to get active in Haringey.”
Joining the gym is easy, and fully trained staff are always on hand to help. All that is needed to register is ID (e.g. birth certificate, passport, driving license) and a proof of the applicant’s Haringey address (council tax or utility bill or a Freedom Pass).
