Exercise for the Heart

testomony

I have known Jane Bancroft for about 14 years. I met her when I joined her sessions for Exercise for the Heart.

I don’t think I have met anyone with so much enthusiasm for her job and the people she cares for. Her work keeps us all fit and healthy, for which we are all very grateful.

To some extent we feel as though we belong to a social club, with the extra walks in the Summer and the special social events along the way, culminating in the annual Christmas Dinner. One Christmas we had the Dinner at the Co-op in Ilkestone, and there was another group of elderly people there who were also celebrating: it was in the early days when we knew few people present, but it was obvious who among the elderly people belonged to our group, because they were so much fitter and more alert that those who were not.

There was one period during these years when my husband and I stopped going to “Keep fit” for a while. The result was that we ceased doing exercise, and I developed a stroke, and my husband had an aortic valve replaced. We soon returned to Jane’s sessions and we have gone from strength to strength since.

Jane runs her classes with unerring enthusiasm, humour, and when appropriate with medical understanding of the problems of the elderly. She looks after us while we are with her, offers suggestions and understanding when we are below par, and offers good advice whenever it is needed. She also keeps medical histories of each member in her care.