INTERVIEW The duo shaking up the exercise world

Freya and Scott are thrilled to be opening their gym

NEW WELLBEING SECTION!

HAPPY HEARTS

Forget any notions of a soulless, intimidating gym. A new local space has arrived which has wellbeing, friendship, and community at its core helping cancer sufferers to not only recoer but become tness coaches. e caught up with owners reya and Tom ritton to nd out more

Bending into ship-shape condition: Scott and Freya

Hello Freya and Tom! You’ve set up a gym with a difference, tell obs last ecember to ocus on attle ancer ull time. oid and the us more... postponement o attle ancer eents has since gien rise to oe Freya: e ounded a tness undraising moement and eent series, orward ym and were so ecited and grateul to the whole team who attle ancer, back in ater a number o undraising attempts or helped make this happen in such a cray year. acmillan. cott had ust started rossit and recognised the power o ith a background in powerliting and rossit, cott has competed its community spirit. ee since grown attle ancer rom one eent in both sports globally oer the past ew years. in anchester in , to eents worldwide planned or and built the brand within the tness industry. What kind of classes can we expect to see?

This spring we launched and began raising unds or our own oe Scott: Theres our signature oe orward classes. These are un nineorward rogram, which uses tness to rebuild cancer suriors post- minute team workouts using body weight and light weight euipment treatment physically and mentally, ultimately or a high-intensity but accessible workout. turning them into tness coaches to then support the net wae o suriors a really loely irtuous cycle. rom there we saw an amaing opportunity to create our own physical space where we can help people, as well as proide a place or people to train in premium acilities with eceptional coaching at affordable prices, and so the oe orward ym was born. “We wanted to create a space where we put people at the heart of all we do” e also hae speciality classes coering strength, conditioning, gymnastics and recoery stretching, while our kids classes and parents and babies classes are starting in the coming months. What makes your gym a bit different? Freya: e hae a cool hang-out area and co-working space, as well as a recoery one where members can rela. Your gym is in Ottery St Mary. Do you live locally yourselves? reerral scheme and programme or cancer suriors. e really wanted Freya: cott and now lie in arbertonord. cott is rom anchester to be able to create a space where we put people at the heart o all we while m rom Totnes our head coach uke rereton is rom ishops do, with an incredible, close-knit and supportie community. e beliee ydeard, Taunton. ur wider team is made up o people rom across thats how people get t and healthy or lie. the rom ublin and ondon to idmouth and ork. lus o course, theres our uniue Tell us about more about your scheme for NHS referred What was your background before you did this? cancer patients… Freya: riginally cott worked in the emergency serices and Scott: e offer ree structured -week programs to help people return worked in market research beore we took the plunge and let our to physical and mental tness post cancer treatment. This can be at any

Feeling the stretch

Scott used to work in the emergency services

point post treatment and ater the -week program, we offer a urther three months o ree membership to nd a home with us as a tness community. er people hae gone through the scheme so ar and we cannot wait to see the people o eter post treatment back to being stronger again.

How about the mental health side of things? Scott: orking out gies people headspace rom their busy liestyles. ere bombarded with a constant stream o to-dos, notications, multi-tasking, household chores, work, amily commitments the list goes on. ne hour o ust “One hour of ocussing on yoursel and being away rom your focussing on yourself phone can gie people a mental break as well as can give you a physical release een i its ust a ew times mental break” a week. egular eercise has been ound to hae a prooundly positie impact on depression and aniety both o which are on the rise in modern times. orking out also reliees stress, improes memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your oerall mood.

What about the social side of things? Scott: ll o our oe orward classes are designed to be undertaken in pairs or as socially distanced teams that encourage people to meet, chat, and share in their workout eperience. e beliee this not only encourages people to push themseles with their ellow classmates but osters a were all in it together spirit. e also loe to compete and support at local, national and international competitions, as well as running in-gym challenges, eents, and socials or our own community. There will be lots o opportunities to get inoled with things as and when its sae to do so.

No class is complete without a high-five

Loads of people are doing exercise at home now. What are the benefits of working out at a gym? Scott: otiation. t can be so dicult to motiate yoursel, een ia oom, to work your hardest in a workout. ur coaches are energetic, dynamic and will encourage you to get the best out o eery session as will the other members in the class. The atmosphere and camaraderie created with music pumping alongside others under our cool red light installation is hard to beat. ■

For more: Move Forward Gym, 1-3, Finnimore Trading Estate, Ottery St Mary, Exeter; www.moveforwardgym.com

WELLBEING

BRINGING YOU ALL THE GOOD STUFF FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL

YOGA AT THE CASTLE How does a bit of yoga in the historic Powderham Castle sound? These hatha ow classes, run by eorgie rickmere o ne oga and ellness, are open to all leels and aim to be nourishing, helping you nd the balance between building strength and relaation. roups are intimate and small spaces are limited due to social distancing guidelines, so booking is essential so youll receie plenty o attention to help deelop and progress your practice.

Classes will be inside for the colder months and are scheduled for eery . -. pm on ondays and . -. pm on ednesdays until the end o this year. Powderham Castle, Near Exeter; www.powderham.co.uk

Georgie Crickmere’s classes are open to all levels

WELLBEING WONDERS TO HELP YOU FEEL ON TOP OF THE WORLD

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1. Egos shoes in blue, £49, from Sancho’s, 117 Fore Street, Exeter; www.sanchosshop.com

2. Ginger and lime octagon candle, £15, from The Recycled Candle Company, 16 Gandy Street, Exeter; www. therecycledcandlecompany.co.uk

3. Organic rosehip facial oil, £12.50, from Soap Daze, 126 Fore Street, Exeter; www.soapdaze.com 3

Face it, you deserve a wellbeing day

WELLBEING DAY AT DEVON SCULPTURE PARK eon culpture ark are hosting a relaing day in their wonderul apability rown designed grounds. The one-day retreat ollows a process o eploration and discoery inspired and inormed by nature, rewilding and sculpture and includes a nutritious home-cooked lunch. Devon Sculpture Park, Mamhead Park (South), Exeter; www.devonsculpturepark.org (prior booking is necessary)