Mr Motivator delivers fitness class at care home

Tuesday afternoons at Lindley Park Care Home in Huddersfield are usually a time for relaxing, a short walk or enjoying something from the tea trolley as it makes it way round the peaceful 61-bed facility, which provides residential care and care for those with dementia.

But today, it is party time.

Mr Motivator, the 90s TV icon and original fitness influencer, is in town to deliver a fitness class to nine of the home's 42 residents.

Lycra-clad and a kaleidoscope of colour, the 73-year-old moves like a man half his age as he leads a chairobics session soundtracked by a feel-good pop megamix.

"It's important when you get the opportunity to spread the message of wellbeing and movement that you grab it with both hands," he explains before the class.

"A care home is one of those places that needs the motivation."

Mr Motivator's message has certainly landed in this quiet corner of West Yorkshire.

Staff and residents follow along with moves like the steering wheel, air guitar and shooting the basketball.

The room is full of bright colours and smiling faces, with ailments temporarily banished.

In the corner, a visually impaired man gets up out of his chair to move his body and dance, much to the delight of staff.

"I have been doing this for 20 years and the one thing I've learned is that the last thing they want to be doing is sat around doing nowt," says one worker.

"They have all been doctors and nurses. It's us in 20 years."

Despite spending four decades getting the nation moving, Mr Motivator insists he will "never" slow down.

"I meet too many people who retire and they are sitting around waiting to expire," he says.

"You don't know how much time you have been given, so therefore you need to try and ensure you are less dependent on other people."

His message is that wellbeing is important to everyone, "it's just not enough of us embrace it".

"The lines in the NHS could be half the size if everybody tomorrow took control of their own wellbeing - and that starts with wellbeing.

"Movement is medicine. Put a bit of laughter into it and it's even better medicine."

According to the NHS, adults aged 65 and over should aim to be physically active every day and complete "at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week".

Despite this, research from Sport England has found that 42% of people aged 55 and over are inactive, compared to 29% of the adult population.

The afternoon's special visit has been organised by Bailey Greetham, who runs a business delivering fitness and wellbeing classes across the care sector.

The 23-year-old, who was raised by his grandparents, says the idea to set up the business six years ago "sprung from a need for our older generation to move".

"I realised the impact exercise has on our older generation and how important it is."

Bailey started his business in his hometown of Grimsby but he and his team now deliver fitness sessions acoss the country, including at Lindley Park.

"When you go into a care home and you see a resident you have been working with for weeks achieve something - stand for the first time, claim their independence back - it just puts it all into perspective.

"At the very least as long as we get people laughing and moving a little bit that's mission complete."

"I enjoyed it very much," says Lindley Park resident Derek Wilson after the class.

"I had nothing else to do this afternoon, so it's been a pleasant change."

Prior to arriving at the home David, a former industrial chemist who is originally from Bradford, lived in France for almost 20 years.

His wife is still there trying to sell their house. So too are his five bikes, a nod to his love of cycling.

Nowadays he uses a wheelchair, so is unable to ride.

Still, today has provided some respite from the norm.

"I would like to be walking and standing but apart from that I'm alright," he says.

"Cycling was one of the original reasons why I went to France but unfortunately things were cut short because of my legs.

"I have to put up with it but I like what I have to put up with," he says of life at the care home back in Yorkshire.

Elsewhere, 79-year-old Yvonne Noble, who now uses a wheelchair permanently after twice falling and breaking her legs, confesses the class has left her "ready for a cup of coffee".

"You have got to think positive when you do these things, you have got to put your heart into it," says Yvonne, a former accountant.

"I think he [Mr Motivator] is marvellous, I always did because I thought he can motivate people.

"Too many people don't try. You can do it."

Sporting a bright pink headband, 84-year-old Judith Snell, from Brighouse, declares herself "ready for a punch-up" after completing some shadow boxing with Mr Motivator.

"My arms are a bit achey but I'm fine," she says.

"It was good. I'm glad I came."

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