With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Lansdowne Civic Centre was awash in shades of pink for the Highgrove Walking Club’s monthly social.
This month, a group of 47 women joined in for the three-course breakfast on Wednesday 18 October.
The event also featured a talk on breast cancer by retired nurse Sr Zelda Lawrence and retired social worker Faika Adams. The talk covered how to examine the breasts to identify signs and the psychological impacts of being diagnosed with cancer.
Bronwen Honigwachs first started researching home exercises while at home during the Covid-19 lockdown. “I was at home looking for exercises to do to keep active,” she related. “Another resident asked why we don’t start walking. I then put it out there on our local chat and we had 16 ladies. The next week we had 32 and the next 40 and so we grew.”
With all the Covid-19 restrictions a thing of the past, Honigwachs and some of her walking buddies officially launched the club last year.
They now meet on Mondays and Wednesdays at Range Road Hall and Tuesdays at the Lansdowne Civic Centre from 09:30.
The exercises focus on a variety of chair, weight, balance, movement and walking and other aerobics training.
Club members consist of elderly residents and those with chronic illnesses. These residents have also benefited from improved health and mobility.
Sukayna Salie (78) said after her brother died three years ago she fell into ill-health. Unable to walk independently and forced to wear a back brace, she was determined to get back to health.
“I started doing chair exercises while the others walked. Then I decided, no. I am going to walk. Everyone helped me to walk that day. Now I walk without a stick and brace.”
One of the oldest members, Gadija Baker (84), said she had all the aches and pains imaginable and then heard about the club from a neighbour. “I have no more backache. It has made me so supple and is a tremendous help with my memory too,” she said.
She added this has helped build a communal bond, with neighbours getting to know and encouraging one another.
