New and expectant mothers make a splash on Tuesday morning at the start of the free aqua fitness sessions at the Forbes Olympic pool. Photo: Leigh Barry
Another season of Aqua fitness kicked off on Tuesday with new and expectant mothers braving an unusually chilly November morning to exercise in the water.
The ladies gathered at the Forbes Olympic pool just before 9am for the free lessons, for the first of two, six-week sessions held by the School and Community Centre (SACC) and NSW community health.
“The program aims at engaging new and expectant mothers, a couple times a week, in gentle water exercise,” said Marie from SACC.
Running since 2015, aqua fitness is an initiative which “reduces barriers to access” and further reduces excuses to exercise. Health and fitness are vital for both physical and mental wellbeing, and new mothers often miss out on the opportunity to exercise and socialise in a structured and safe environment where their children are being looked after.
Currently the program relies on the help of five selfless volunteers who give up their time to instruct the fitness sessions and help with child minding, many of whom started off as new mothers exercising in the first years of aqua fitness. Marie from SACC invited more to come and help. “We’d love volunteers to come on board and keep it going.”
The aqua fitness sessions will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays until mid-December and then start again in February 2020. SACC welcome new volunteers who wish to support this vital community program.