GET YOUR GROOVE ON By Jo Henwood

If you are having difficulty findingyour groove, it might be time tomeet Ray McNulty.

You don’t have to remember the steps as long as you keep moving.

Ray McNulty is bringing a touch of the Fred Astaire to his new role as a Life Rooms learning facilitator.

Ray McNulty, Learning Facilitator at The Life Rooms

At the age of 66, when many people are considering retirement, Ray has just taken on a full time job as a learning facilitator at The Life Rooms. One of the many tasks on his To Do list is to encourage everyone to Get Your Groove On.

Ray left school with no qualifications but has since had a remarkable portfolio career which includes entertainer, adult education teacher and creator of training manuals for accountants.

“I believe in people’s potential,” says the father of four.

“I have met challenges all through my life but I believe in simple hard work. I was never very good at anything naturally but I became a good footballer through hard work, I got my teaching qualifications through hard work. If my kids ever say to me: ‘Dad you can’t do that,’ they know I will definitely give it a go.”

Ray admits to having depression following the breakdown of a relationship more than a decade ago and that it was dance that got him back on track.

“I had no job, no money and I was lacking confidence so I got myself a voluntary job at the Joseph Lappin Centre and I started to turn my life around.

“I knew that I wanted to get fit so I joined a Zumba class at my local sports centre. I was the only man in a room full of women. I did a few sessions – it was really tough and physically demanding. I found I couldn’t keep up and realised that a lot of people were in the same boat.”

Ray came up with the idea of a Sway with Ray class, targeting people who had social isolation and he still teaches at the Joseph Lappin Centre.

His new role draws on both his entertainment and teaching roots and his Get Your Groove On classes at The Life Rooms are open to all, regardless of age, ability or mobility.

“It’s got to be fun,” says Ray. “You don’t have to keep up with me, you don’t have to remember the steps as long as you keep moving. You can sit down, you can stand up – it’s easy to follow.

“I say to people: ‘If you go out of here feeling better than when you came in, I haven’t charged you enough!’”. The classes at The Life Rooms are free.

Music lovers will appreciate his choice of tracks – from T Rex to Dire Straits, Elton John to Ed Sheeran there is something for everyone.

The physical and mental health benefits are obvious. Margaret Oakes said: “I left the class smiling and on such a high that I ended up walking the two and half miles home.”

Sarah Mulcahy added: “It’s so relaxing, giving you time for yourself.”

Ray’s sunny personality and get up and go attitude rubs off on everyone.

Aina Olanrewaju said: “The class makes me feel happy, smile and laugh. And Ray laughs with us.”

Charley Jenkins is accompanied to the class by members of the Mersey Care team. She said: “Your health improves week by week. Meeting people and communicating with each other also improves my mental health.

“When I say I want to go, the team end up fighting about who’s going to take me!”

I left the class smiling and on such a high that I ended up walking the two and half miles home.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RAY’S DANCE CLASSES

Get Your Groove On The Life Rooms Evered Avenue Liverpool L9 2AF 0151 478 6556

Visit: liferooms.org/learning Classes are free

Sway with Ray Joseph Lappin Centre 42 Mill Lane Old Swan Liverpool L13 5TF 0151 222 3507

Visit: thejosephlappincentre.com Classes are £3 each