FROME-BASED theatre company Rare Species CIC have won a grant of almost £10,000 from the Government’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund.
The company will provide free online aerobics sessions for vulnerable groups including people with long term health conditions and children and young adults with special educational needs.
They report, “The unique fitness programme, Mojo Moves, combines comedy theatre with proper exercise and crosses over multiple genres to appeal to many groups. It is run by the warm, charismatic and kind Cheryl (aka performer and fitness instructor Ginny Adams).
“Classes have been running for just over two years in Frome, where the community have really taken Cheryl into their hearts.
“Lockdown saw the company adapting to an online service, with Cheryl keeping people fit and sane through the pandemic in the comfort of their own homes.
“The strapline is “Reclaim your mojo back from the universe” and it is as much about instilling positive mental health as physical fitness and has been life changing for many regular participants. It succeeds where other sports activities fail in that participants don’t realise they are exercising and before you know it, they are fitter and happier. It is so pertinent during the current situation with Covid-19 as it provides welcome relief from boredom, inactivity, social isolation and negativity.
“With anxiety and depression on the rise and the popularity of sedentary activities such as gaming or watching TV, Mojo Moves fills the gap between exercise and entertainment but it also offers positive reinforcement and confidence building.”
Ginny said, “When I came up with the idea, I never envisaged that so many people would love it so much. As well as running regular classes I have worked at schools, festivals, parties and charity events to get people active through aerobic dancing. Adults and children alike join in with gusto and don’t even realise they are exercising.”
In 2019 the company was involved in “LEAP MS”, a study commissioned by the MS Society to develop an online exercise resource to help people with progressive MS. Physiotherapist Dr Latchem-Hastings immediately saw the potential of Mojo Moves,
“As a physiotherapist, I was very impressed with how clever the routines are. Underneath all the fun there was so much technical expertise going on.”
2019 also saw Mojo Moves working at Critchill and Larkrise schools for children and young adults with special educational needs, resulting in a real boost in the students’ confidence as well as their physical fitness.
The new project is to run for six months and there will be two free sessions a week; a seated version for people living with conditions such as MS, ME, chronic fatigue and cancer and a class for SEN children and young adults to enjoy with their parents or carers.
For more information and class times please visit mojomoves.co.uk
Pictured: Mojo Moves instructor Cheryl Sprinkler (played by Ginny Adams).
