Coleg Cambria staff cover thousands of miles and complete wide array of challenges in ‘Active Cambria’ programme

Staff from Coleg Cambria have covered thousands of miles and completed a wide variety of challenges over lockdown.

More than 125 virtual exercise classes took place involving the staff, who are made up from sites across Deeside, Northop, Llysfasi and Yale Bersham Road in Wrexham.

It is all part of the college’s ‘Active Cambria’ programme, where 130 workers and their families kept fit and healthy with Pilates classes, yoga and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts.

Challenges, such as the Cardiff Metropolitan University sports day and the Association of Colleges Sport’s (AoC) ‘Go the Distance’ cycle and running event, were also attempted and completed.

‘Active Cambria’ Coordinator Donna Welsh said: “The mental and physical health and wellbeing of staff during lockdown was obviously a top priority, as we were in completely unchartered territory.

“Keeping our minds and bodies busy was vital in lockdown, so these sessions were well-received and popular in those first few months when we were unable to travel very far and limited to what we could do outdoors.”

“The most popular time was during lunch when everyone was able to take a break and given a distraction. It also brought us altogether and communicating when we needed it most.”

In total, participants cycled 6,000 miles, ran 870 miles and walked over 300 miles.

Rona Griffiths, Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager at Coleg Cambria, said staying sharp and positive during lockdown was much-needed for staff.

“The sessions were absolutely brilliant, created a sense of community and even showed us new interactive ways of working,” she said.

“They will continue – when employees are working at home and back in the office – as we encourage all staff to join in as part of our health and wellbeing strategy.

“A big thanks to Donna and her colleague Wendy Hodson as their energy and positivity was just what we all needed.”

Earlier this year, the college revealed how more than 800 learners and 200 staff members took part in the ‘Active Cambria’ programme between September and December 2019, with numbers up 20 per cent year on year.

Developed in line with nationwide bodies including Sport Wales and Colegau Cymru, the initiative has helped to encourage a positive and healthy working environment while serving as best practice for some of the country’s top organisations using three distinct categories – Get Active, Elite Sport and Future Sport.

For more information, visit www.cambriaold.ac.uk/category/active-cambria or follow @colegcambria on social media.