We had an incredible visit from Joe Wicks – The Body Coach. He joined us in Durham as part of his workplace tour after we applied last summer for him to come. We feel so lucky to have been selected from over 10,000 applications!
Joe spent time doing a 30min workout with staff and volunteers, and chatted with us about all things exercise, diet, nutrition and the importance of sleep. He spoke with each and every person he met.
He also spent time with our Strength & Balance group for people in our community with a life-limiting illness. Joe joined in their weekly workout where they do different exercises to improve their fitness levels to help with daily activities.
Joe Wicks in Living Well Centre Strength & Balance Group
30min workout with staff and volunteers
Making Memories with Mercedes
One of the most precious interactions on the day was with patient Mercedes. Joe was introduced and in his typical genuine style said ‘Oh what a beautiful name’. Mercedes then told Joe she was from Ecuador.
To our utter amazement, Joe began speaking fluent Spanish to Mercedes. To witness the joy and delight on her face to hear her own mother tongue was simply incredible. They chatted about Ecuador and places Joe had visited, and his recent appearance on Dragon’s Den.
Our nurse Colleen said: “Mercedes has been an absolute pleasure to care for, she is so lovely and to have this magic moment for her is truly wonderful. That’s what we try to do every day for people at our Hospice. To do the unexpected and go the extra mile.”
Championing our Charity Shops
We wanted to create a cosy area in our meeting room to host the chat with Joe. So of course we headed out to our charity shops, including our Meadowfield Furniture Store, to pick up some bits and bobs. Every item you see is less than £30, with the cheapest item being 50p! Those chairs will be back on sale in Meadowfield soon so be sure to follow their Facebook page to check them out.
We chatted to Joe about charity shopping and he confessed that he loved to pop in a good charity shop and hunt down a bargain. It can sometimes be a barrier for people who want to start exercising that buying all new clothes and kit can be expensive. Our charity shops stock a great variety of high-quality items, some even with the tags on!
Our Chief Executive Paul Marriott rounded off the day by saying:
“We were delighted to welcome Joe to the Hospice. Covid taught us that looking after ourselves and our wellbeing is an important part of coping with difficult times. Our Hospice has had its own difficult challenges in recent months where we have been forced make cuts to staffing provision and services, so it is great to have this opportunity to focus on the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers. It’s an important part of keeping up our resilience for the benefit of those who use our services. Joe’s visit was a lift for us all and especially for those who access our care who were able to meet with him.”
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