Online exercise classes are a lockdown ‘lifesaver’ for Pauline

Before the coronavirus pandemic Pete Simms, from the Old Library Trust Healthy Living Centre, had been busy going to building sites and offices carrying out blood pressure checks as part of a British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI) funded community health project.

Pete was determined to ensure the physical and mental health of the people in his local community didn’t suffer during lockdown. He quickly went about helping people set-up Facebook and Zoom accounts so they would be able to access the now online exercise classes and coffee catch-ups.

He explained: “When lockdown happened we couldn’t go out into the community to check people’s blood pressure but there were many people who were borderline high blood pressure or have hypertension or diabetes, who already took part in our exercise classes at the Old Library Trust to help manage their conditions.

“Keeping physically active is important in helping to manage such conditions as hypertension and diabetes as well as helping people’s mental health during this time. So although we couldn’t physically meet up we wanted to ensure people kept exercising so we increased the amount of exercise classes we offered and moved them online.”

Alongside his colleague Jonathan Peberdy, who is supported by Spirit 2012, the pair host exercise classes five times a week that have around 80 people tuning in each time. The classes include Tai Chi, armchair exercises and yoga.

There is also a coffee catch up once a week to see how everyone is doing mentally.

Members of the Old Library Trust have also been taking to the streets of Creggan to do exercise classes at a safe social distance outside people’s homes.

Unfortunately, Pete hasn’t been able to join in these classes as he has multiple sclerosis.

His virtual classes have been described as a “lifeline” by regular class participant Pauline Doherty.

As well as helping with her physical health the Derry grandmother credits the classes for helping her mental wellbeing and saving her from slipping back into a depression.

“Those first couple of weeks of lockdown I wasn’t in a very good place. I didn’t go out and I wasn’t in a good place mentally,” she said.

She said that Pete had the “patience when others didn’t to make sure I was connected as I live alone. It is my lifeline.”

“The classes make me get out of bed in the morning and it helps to have routine to my day. It starts the day on the right note,” Pauline said.

“The exercise class can involve sitting on a chair and using tins of beans as weights and other things around the house. We would also do relaxation moments to help you relax and it is a gentle pace of exercise.”

She praised Pete and Jonathan for going above and beyond their jobs to look after people, saying “I would have nobody if it wasn’t for them.”