Articles

Exercising without class The pandemic came suddenly and, for many, tragically with serious illness and fatality never far away. In this context, the postponement of exercise classes seems almost a trivial concern although I have missed the social side and the group meeting and the cheery mood of seeing the same people week after week. As I write, there may, at last, be some (distant) light at the end of the tunnel. More than anything, it has been important to maintain a routine of ‘good habits’ to avoid accumulating bad habits. So, here is my routine: (occasionally distorted by bits of paid work as a project supervisor at a college). Some exercise every morning (either a walk or the home exercise routine I was given at the end of phase III). This means I get out into the fresh air. A few days ago, I took this marvellous picture of a woodpecker which took off from about 10 yards away. Unfortunately, the woodpecker was too quick for me. One of the most irritating features of nature photography is that the animals and birds are undisciplined in posing for pictures. Here is a picture of Monmouth in the snow The weather is not always so benign But the worse the weather outdoors, the greater the pleasure in returning to a warm house. Keeping my mind active studying with Open University (it’s hard at my age!) and with chores. Staying in touch with friends is also [...]

BILL Owen a loyal supporter of our charity and the man who brought Tour de France stars to Wales, has stepped down from organising cycling events. (The main body of this article was written by Gary Baker and first appeared on the South Wales Argus on the 23rd Dec – sadly following a tragic accident Gary passed away on the 11th January)   76-year-old Bill has retired due to ill health, meaning an end for the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, which ran every year since 2007 until coronavirus forced its cancellation this summer. Bill attended the Nevill Hall Cardiac Rehabilitation programme as long ago as 1991 following a heart attack and came under their care again in 2016 after four stents. He was awarded an MBE for services to cycling, which spanned close to 60 years, and he was also inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2016, given a lifetime achievement award by Welsh Cycling in 2013 and won organiser of the year on several occasions for his beloved Abergavenny Festival of Cycling. This event took an incredible amount of organising in which the North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation Charity were pleased to take a small but important part. Volunteers supported the course feed stations, ran stalls in Baily Park and also took part in the cycle events - in turn for which Bill made a generous donation. He won the Welsh Road Race Championships in 1963 and was featured on the front cover of national magazine Cycling [...]

Kenneth Haynes joins the virtual “Walk to Everest” During the Covid 19 lockdown period which started in March of this year, all of the charity Cardiac Rehabilitation tutors kept in touch with their individual class members, making sure they were well and keeping up their fitness. I regularly phoned Ken for a chat to see how he was coping with these strange circumstances. He would tell me he was keeping active, gardening and being busy around his house. However, he admitted he was really missing the exercises and seeing the other class members.  Before this lockdown period, Ken was attending a weekly gym class at Monmouth Leisure Centre. Very rarely absent, I could always rely on Ken to be there. In August, when I told Ken we were starting walking groups, he was keen to take part, and has been going to Usk every week since they started. We have now also added a walk at Monmouth, so less travelling for Ken and all Monmouth class members. Recently, I asked Ken if he would give a telephone interview, providing an insight of his active, healthy lifestyle from his late teens to the present day. I am pleased to say he agreed, and this is what he told me: Question 1: What was your occupation? Ken told me that he went into the Air Force for National Service at the age of 18 for 2 years. After this he went to Liverpool University to study Architecture, staying on for a [...]