Fitness suite marks two years of transforming lives in Mirfield

A fitness suite aimed at improving mobility in the over 50s has seen amazing results as it marks its two-year anniversary at Mirfield Salvation Army. 

Not only helping to improve overall fitness, the Active Gold suite, launched in May 2024 at the church and community hall in Huddersfield Road, is helping people rehabilitate after strokes and reduce their need for operations through its machine-based exercise classes. 

With membership at capacity, the Active Gold directors Shaun Fox, Jake Marshall and Nathan Auty, are now in the process of expanding the centre - with this week marking the final push of a crowdfunder to raise £7,500. 

The wellbeing suite works hand-in-hand with Mirfield Salvation Army, which is led by Majors Val and Andrew Spivey, helping to tackle isolation in the community with a fortnightly lunch club and weekly coffee morning well attended by gym members.

Shaun said: “Our aim is to work with people who are over 50 to help them stay independent and mobile for longer. We’ve seen some amazing results with clients telling us they feel safer in their own homes, can do more activities and have noticed simple improvements such as being able to stretch further to reach things. It’s also having a rehabilitative impact, which is helping to take the stress off the NHS. 

“Mirfield Salvation Army has proved to be the perfect location. The space and the groups Val and Andrew run have proved vital in helping to reduce social isolation. Most people will exercise as a group of eight or nine, then be in the building for another hour having a coffee and a chat, so that's a really powerful aspect of it. 

“We’re now up to 141 members, which is why we started the crowdfunder so we can extend the space and purchase four more machines to help cater for 50 more people. We’ve almost raised our target and have found the majority of the support has come from our members, which has been incredible.” 

The suite has eight machines which are used for three minutes each as part of a circuit that works the whole body. The machines, made by local Huddersfield company Innerva, allow members to customise their workout and monitor improvements over time. 

Jake, who runs classes, has seen a huge difference in clients including in a woman who was due to have an operation to reconstruct her shoulder. 

Jake said: “After coming for four months, she had improved so much to the point where the medics said her shoulder was as good as it was ever going to get and she no longer needed the operation. She put that down entirely to the support she’d had here. 

“We’re also working with community rehabilitation service Locala who are referring people who are recovering from strokes. We see how much they improve week on week, which shows there’s such a need for the service we provide.” 

George and Helen Chapman have been coming to the Active Gold since it opened.  

George, 79, said: “It's certainly helped with mobility with different machines working different parts of the body. The exercise isn't too strenuous and you can do it at your own pace. It's just brilliant. It’s 30 minutes of exercise and then we usually go for coffee or lunch. 

“A big part is the socialisation. It's good fun and it’s worked so well for so many people. It’s bringing the community together; a lot of people were isolated, especially after covid, then this came along and it really changed things for people.” 

Helen, 80, added: “We love meeting people that we know, and we've brought our friends along. It works for us, it keeps us both healthy and fit. I intend to keep coming for as long as I can!” 

Major Val said the gym has opened new avenues for The Salvation Army, leading to them setting up a lunch club to combat loneliness. 

Val said: “Chatting to some of the people using the gym, we found a lot of them are quite lonely and they find it not just great exercise, but a place to make friends. 

“Our lunch club now has about 30 people attending, many will have been to the gym first. It's a wonderful occasion where everybody sits and enjoys a two-course meal that's been cooked for them. Rather than being at home on their own, they're sitting around the tables and forming friendships. I love the sound of people chatting, laughing and enjoying themselves. God is good and seeds are growing here.” 

Mirfield Salvation Army also hosts Stay and Play toddlers group between 9am and 11am on a Tuesday morning and a monthly messy church. Their coffee morning runs between 10am and 12pm every Friday and the lunch club fortnightly on a Monday from 12pm. 

The wellbeing suite is open between 8.30am and 4pm. There is currently a waiting list, but if you are interested in joining please contact Jake on 07949 683702. 

The crowdfunded amount will be matched by Sport England. Donate here