Cheryl’s happy campers put boot into fitness drive
AFITNESS instructor who shed seven stone is now inspiring a weekly ‘gym-phobe boot camp.’
Cheryl Brocklehurst is the brains (and brawn) behind the group, which began in a friend’s back garden but now attracts more than 30 regular attendees to Offerton’s Vernon Park.
Inspiration for the boot camp came from 51-yearold Cheryl’s own experience of taking the first steps towards improved fitness.
The grandmother-of-five, from Brinnington, previously weighed 23 stone and was incredibly self-conscious.
“When I first took up running I would only ever go out at night just so people wouldn’t see me, so I know exactly what it’s like to feel self conscious about exercise,” she said.
Cheryl was encouraged to go to the gym by her 19-year-old daughter Bethannie who wanted to get fit before she went on a gap year.
“The thought of it was my worst nightmare”, said Cheryl, “but my daughter wanted me to go with her and I wanted to show support. I was your typical ‘fat bird’ stood in the corner not wanting to get stuck in. It was hard, everyone was jumping around and really fit, I felt out of shape and out of place. I couldn’t even lift my leg up to do the leg stretch.
“But I made quite a lot of friends, and as the weeks passed, I began to really enjoy it. I lost about a stone just going to the classes.”
Cheryl, a qualified fitness instructor at Stockport’s Life Leisure, added: “The ‘booty camp,’ as I call it, is specifically for women and men who don’t really engage with the gym – or at least don’t have the self-confidence to yet.
“The whole thing just started off as having a laugh in the garden with my friend to help us both be more active and snowballed from there.
“We’re now simply a great bunch of odd bods having fun in the park every Sunday.
“We play games like leapfrog, horses and riders and heads, shoulders, knees and toes - it’s about being active but not really thinking about exercise. People get fitter and gradually build up their self-esteem at the same time. It’s great to be part of.”
Cheryl, who also works for Stockport Council, has already run six 10ks and the Manchester half marathon.
She also takes on challenges to raise money for the charity Ehlers-Danlos support UK as her fouryear-old grandson Eddie suffers from Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
She said: “If you’d have told me eight years ago that not only would I be going to the gym several times a week, but I’d be leading gym sessions, I never would have believed you. I hope by sharing my story I can inspire people like me to give it a go.”
‘Brockie’s Booty Camp’ takes place at 9am every Sunday, starting at the Bandstand in Vernon Park. Anyone is welcome to go along.
For more information you can contact Cheryl on cheryllbrocklehurst@hotmail.com or go to the Facebook page, Brockie’s Bootycamp.