
What do you do?
I run Inclusfit. I am a qualified personal trainer, rehabilitation & exercise for long term neurological conditions specialist and I teach group fitness classes, both locally & online via Zoom.
I also have a day job and project manage a disability sports project. Both go hand in hand and I get to see and help so many disabled clients get active.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Helping and seeing the progress of my clients to help them lead more of an independent life. Being the first U.K. disabled fitness presenter and showcasing that disabled people can be on stage showcasing fitness to encourage that fitness is fit for everyone!
What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Proving that a disabled instructor can teach non-disabled people in an exercise class environment. I struggled to get classes from cover classes but once I got my very own class, I was away. 9 years on, I’m still teaching that class, which is fully booked every week and I now teach 3 classes for the leisure centre!
I just ignored what everyone else was doing and just did my own thing. And I still do this to this day.
Who was your role-model growing up?
My mum, who ended up a single mum, and brought my brother and myself up single-handed. She went and achieved her career goals and put a solid work ethic into both myself and my brother. Despite my CP, I was told I could do anything I put my mind to and I still use this ethos today. More so when people say i can’t do something. I go out and show them I can do it.
What do you think would help more adults with CP achieve their ambitions?
More visibility in more varied industries to show that because we have CP, doesn’t mean we cannot do something. The leisure industry is very inclusive to work in but on the flip side, they need to use real disabled fitness professionals in advertising and to showcase how accessible it is to disabled people both as a consumer and as a career.
Also for more group fitness brands to show off their disabled instructors and clients with all kinds of disabilities to showcase how inclusive & accessible they are! This will then encourage more disabled clients to classes.