Welsh college workers cover thousands of miles during lockdown fitness sessions

@COLEGCambria staff covered thousands of miles and took part in a wide range of physical challenges during lockdown.

Employees from across sites in Deeside, Northop, Llysfasi and Yale and Bersham Road in Wrexham participated in more than 125 virtual exercise classes while working from home due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

As part of the Active Cambria programme, around 130 workers and their families kept fit and healthy with Pilates classes, yoga and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts.

They also completed online challenges such as the Cardiff Metropolitan University sports day, and the Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport Go the Distance cycle and running event.

Active Cambria coordinator Donna Welsh said:

“The mental and physical health and wellbeing of staff during lockdown was obviously a top priority, as we were in completely unchartered territory.

“Keeping our minds and bodies busy was vital in lockdown, so these sessions were well-received and popular in those first few months when we were unable to travel very far and limited to what we could do outdoors.”

She added: “The most popular time was during lunch when everyone was able to take a break and given a distraction. It also brought us altogether and communicating when we needed it most.”

In total, participants ran a staggering 870 miles, cycled 6,000 miles – the equivalent of Land’s End to John o’ Groats more than 10 times – and walked over 300 miles

Rona Griffiths, Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager at Coleg Cambria, said staying sharp and positive during lockdown was a much-needed tonic for staff.

“The sessions were absolutely brilliant, created a sense of community and even showed us new interactive ways of working,” she said.

“They will continue – when employees are working at home and back in the office – as we encourage all staff to join in as part of our health and wellbeing strategy.

“A big thanks to Donna and her colleague Wendy Hodson as their energy and positivity was just what we all needed.”

Earlier this year, the college revealed how more than 800 learners and 200 staff members took part in the Active Cambria programme between September and December last year, with numbers up 20% year on year.

Developed in line with nationwide bodies including Sport Wales and Colegau Cymru, the initiative has helped to encourage a positive and healthy working environment while serving as best practice for some of the country’s top organisations using three distinct categories – Get Active, Elite Sport and Future Sport.