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FIT ROVERS changed Rita’s world

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“Now I am not going to go back because now I finally understand…. my journey is not done yet.”

Having lost a stone and three inches off her waist, Rita, a member of the Rovers Community Trust health and wellbeing programme, FIT ROVERS is determined that this lifestyle change is for life.

After trying numerous diet cultures in a yo-yo cycle, FIT FANS has helped Rita change her habits for good. The programme is a FREE health programme for men and women aged 35-65 who are looking to lose weight, get fitter and lead a more active life.

This positive trajectory is a whole different world to one that Rita has previously experienced. In 1993, her working commitments left her with no time for herself and engulfed in stress. As a consequence of her lifestyle her weight reached 22 stone, but a deeper issue would arise.

As Rita sat in for a job interview with hope of a better work-life balance, she would experience a brain hemorrhaged that would go unnoticed for hours. She fell numerous times on her travels home and those around her dismissed her as being a stereotypical drunk.

Her husband and sister later realised something untoward and rang 999. They later found had been suffering a brain hemorrhage, drifting in and out of consciousness- the path ahead looked dark.

After being admitted to Manchester Hope Hospital for 4 weeks, Rita returned home but her speech took 6 months to return before she could build any confidence in entering the outside world again.

Rita states: “this was 28 years ago but it took this serious illness to wake me up.”

Consequently, she knew her health and wellbeing must be prioritised and found herself joining Weight Watchers and Slimming World programmes, but the story remained the same; lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, gain weight.

All until she received an email from the Rovers Fit Fans programme whereby the programmes educational platform has allowed her to learn about a balanced lifestyle and how to implement this into her everyday life.

Since completing the programme, Rita has continued her progress and even walks 20,000 steps across the weekend having previously not been able to walk for a short distance without getting breathless.

Find out More about FIT FANS

 

 

World Health Day: Using the power of sport to improve health and well-being

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Today (7th April 2018) is World Health Day. A day to raise global awareness and local conversations about ways to achieve health for all.

We, alongside our 72 EFL Club Community Trusts, use the power of sport to improve health and well-being in local communities around the UK.

One trust in particular, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, run 48 projects on a daily basis that are all linked to health and wellbeing.

In 2017, the Trust had five projects focused on helping improve the health of the borough and as a result the football club’s official charity engaged with more than 2,500 people in the local area.

This year, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust launched a brand new health programme, EuroFIT (European Fans in Training), for men between the ages of 30-65.

The focus of the 12 week initiative is to increase participants’ physical activity levels and offer guidance on how to lead a healthier life with diet and exercise advice.

The weekly session, which is held at Ewood Park on a Tuesday night, has been led by trained staff from the Trust and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

As part of World Health Day, Blackburn Rovers season ticket holder Peter Graham, who is a regular EuroFIT participant, explained why the programme is perfect for him.

“I have been watching Rovers since 1966 and I found out about EuroFIT through the Community Trust’s Facebook page,” admitted the 59-year-old.

“I have put some weight on over the past few years and as soon as I saw the EuroFIT programme it appealed to me.

“The fact the programme was held at Blackburn Rovers was a huge motivator for me rather than going to the local gym.

“It is a real friendly group that goes to EuroFIT and we all motivate and challenge each other to keep going.

“I have changed my diet after the advice we received and we were also given a pedometer to challenge us to walk more places. I have been that impressed with EuroFIT that I have already recommended it to my friends.”

From the Trust’s point of view, Ilyas Patel leads the EuroFIT programme and he revealed the participants motivate each other every day, not just at the weekly sessions.

He said: “EuroFIT has been a real success and World Health Day presents a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness for this programme and all the other great health programmes we run at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.

“The participants have all been great and they have all taken to the programme. They have set up their own WhatsApp group to let each other know what exercise they have done and see if they can beat one another.”