Introducing personal Trainer Dave Kelly

Dave comes from a professional rugby background playing back in South Africa for Western Province and the Stormers. He pursued his rugby career in the UK for Wasps Premiership club before too many injures forced him to change his love for the game and move into the fitness industry.

Dave has now over 11 years of Personal Training experience behind him. With his knowledge and experience he knows what it takes to push those limits and get you those results. learning from some of the top coaches in the industry. Not only are sessions tough but rewarding and fun too.

Dave also runs his own personal training business in London Notting hill for the last 6 years. He moved up to the Lake District 3 years ago and continued his Personal Training up in the Lakes. Dave is now working with the team at The North Lakes Hotel and Spa under Sculpt, where he specialises in a wide variety of exercise.

From strength training, weight loss, pre and post natal pregnancy, circuit training, boxing and pad work, postural and corrective exercise, core and stability training to toning.

BOOk NOW for a Free Consultation and taster session please call Dave on 07376322974

PAM’S FLOWER POWER December – Holly

And so we come to the final piece of our year of flowers; and of course it has to be the seasonal Holly ever popular on Christmas cards, wrapping paper and all things Christmas. The red berried greenery is cut and brought into many homes for the Yuletide celebrations.

The holly - Ilex aquifolium - is native to the UK and is found in hedgerows and woodland particularly native oak and beech woods. Mature trees can grow up to 15m tall and live for around 300 years.

It is easily recognisable by its bright red berries and shiny leathery leaves which often have sharp prickles along their edges. Interestingly the older the bush the smoother the leaves become and the higher up the tree the leaves are they are also likely to be smooth. The dark glossy leaves are evergreen and can be spotted throughout the year but it is in the late autumn and winter months when the glorious red berries appear.

Hollies are dioecious which means they need both male and female plants in order to produce seeds. The simple flowers of the holly are white with four petals, blooming in the spring and early summer. It is the female bush which will have the red berries; male plants do not produce them. It is also important that the male and female plants are close enough to each other (within about 200 yards of each other) for pollination to occur. The holly berry will only grow on shrubs which are at least 3 years old and on branches which are two years old so care should be taken if you are pruning your holly bush, only prune in winter or early spring as you don’t want to cut off the new growth that will produce the next year’s berries.

The holly provides food, cover and shelter for many birds and animals. Its dense foliage provides safe nesting places for birds while small mammals and hedgehogs use the dry leaf litter for hibernating. The feisty Mistle Thrush is known to guard the berries in the winter to prevent other birds from eating them! The berries also provide a rich food supply for small mammals such as wood mice and dormice. Deer enjoy grazing on the smooth leaves found on the upper branches and other leaves are eaten by caterpillars of a number of holly loving butterflies and moths. In the spring the flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees so ensuring that the female flowers are pollinated and produce berries and seeds.