Cats’ ace is tackling the need to stay fit
Sunderland player Luke O’Nien is helping families across the North East stay fit at home with a set of virtual workouts – all while raising money for the NHS.
The Black Cats midfielder has teamed up with Sunderland business Future You, which offers a range of health and wellbeing services for customers online, to deliver fitness videos on YouTube.
Adam Shaw, 30, launched the venture in 2017 and was introduced to footballer O’Nien by chance after the sportsman relocated to Wearside in 2018 when he signed for SAFC.
The pair shared a passion for mental health and wellbeing as well as the importance of fitness and physical health, prompting the two to make moves to work together.
As the UK’s coronavirus lockdown measures continue, O’Nien launched his first workout video through the Future You YouTube channel on Monday, April 13, and plans to continue the sessions every weekday.
Adam, who is currently working from home in Boldon, told the Gazette: “We wanted to give people something to look forward to and talk about.
“There were over 500 people taking part and watching it this morning, and lots of people messaging who want to help raise money for the NHS.”
Future You has five fulltime employees and plans to open new offices in Sunderland after the coronavirus pandemic.
To donate to Luke O’Nien’s fundraiser, visit his Virgin Money Giving Page.
So far, the footballer has raised more than £500 and more than 5,000 people have viewed his first workout.
And he has the chance to collect even more after Dominic Raab annouced in Thursday’s Government update that lockdown restrictions in the UK would continue for "at least" another three weeks as it tackles the coronavirus outbreak.
The foreign secretary told the daily No 10 briefing that a review had concluded that relaxing the measures now would risk harming public health and the economy.
"We still don't have the infection rate down as far as we need to," he explained in a public address.