A Collie fitness professional’s training initiative has been backed by one of the town’s banks.
Unity Bank has come on board to sponsor Tracy Mizzi-Gillespie’s free strength training, cardio and weight loss classes for the first five weeks of the next 10.
Ms Mizzi-Gillespie said the boost would help to draw more people to the classes and keep existing participants going.
“We are very happy about it because, thanks to these sponsors, it is encouraging people to come and train so we are getting more people on the move,” she said.
“It is nice to see that there are businesses that want to help the community and chip in a little bit just to get people on the move.”
The classes are currently being held in the Collie Eagles Football Club’s Eagles Nest on Wednesday evenings from 5.30pm.
Ms Mizzi-Gillespie said her goal was to get more people fit and healthy in the winter months.
“I am hoping to get more people aware of what we’re doing and feel comfortable to come down and train with us,” she said.
“It is so far, so good, we have had heaps of people coming – I know because of flu season the numbers dropped a little bit.”
Ms Mizzi-Gillespie first set up the fitness classes in March, training in Collie’s central park on Wednesday afternoons. Fifteen people attended the first class.
The initiative got McDonald’s on board to sponsor a five-week challenge.
The Collie River Valley Medical Centre then sponsored the classes for another five weeks.
She has planned to host the classes back in central park during spring and summer.
The fitness instructor said she was pleased with the classes’ current progress. She said the classes provided options for all fitness levels.
“There is a lot of satisfaction, that I am able to actually be given the chance to help people because that is what I like doing,” she said.
“I am loving the fact that I am able to help people thanks to our sponsors.
“They [fitness programs] are very important not just for the health benefits of exercise but also mentally, we all know that exercise helps dealing with depression and stuff like that.
“It helps people mentally and physically get better, so that’s really good – it’s got lots of advantages.”
Unity Bank chief executive officer Mark Genovese said the Collie Community Support Fund reaches out to assist local organisations and campaigns.
“Why we’re doing this is that it is part of our DNA to provide support to our members and the communities they live in,” he said.
The bank sets aside a pool of funds each year, encouraging community members to come forward with projects.