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Castle Point Residents Enjoy Virtual Exercise Classes

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), Castle Point Leisure had to shut the doors to our customers. However, we wanted to make sure that all our customers were able to stay fit and healthy during their time away from the centre. We made the decision to start doing online classes as soon as the centres closed, starting from the evening of the closure.

The first few days were very difficult, and we were planning day to day to get classes online for our customers to watch and take part in from home. By the second week we had set up a timetable with over 45 available classes and challenges each week to take part in over both our social media channels.

Some individual classes have had over 5000 views with the number of customers taking part staying steady since. When we closed, our Facebook page had over 800 likes, since then we have increased our followers by over 1300. Our Instagram page has also received an increase in followers. The engagement from our existing and new followers on our pages has been overwhelming with so many of our customers thanking the team for what they are doing and have often been told it is keeping their spirits up seeing our instructors smiling faces every day.

After the success of the group exercise programme we have added some strength workouts for people to do at home to try and engage more residents and help them keep active whilst the centres are shut. We have also started to engage with our swimming lesson customers. Our swimming Instructors have done a fantastic job of keeping the customers involved with swimming by offering word searches and games younger ones can play that keep them entertained and still teach them about water safety which can be used in their lessons once they return. We have even done videos where customers can use their bath to promote water confidence and keep their skills up ready for their return. We will also be including our adult swimmers with skill practices for them in the coming days.

Castle Point Councillor Colin MacLean Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing said ‘We like to think we are making a difference and helping the local community get through this difficult time together. We hope that the encouragement to stay fit and healthy during this time will help when we can re-open and get our customers back to their normal routine, as well as encouraging new customers to join our community after seeing the success of how we are trying to help.’

 If you would like to take part in our brilliant online classes like us on Facebook @Castle Point Leisure and Instagram @castlepointleisure1.