Nantwich personal trainer shortlisted in community awards

A Nantwich personal trainer has crowned her remarkable journey from wheelchair to trained instructor – by being shortlisted for a national award.

Clare Eaton has been working as an instructor around the Nantwich area for around five years.

But three years ago she feared her career was over after back problems left her in a wheelchair for several weeks and a stay in Leighton Hospital.

Clare said: “I decided to train and qualify as a Personal Trainer as well as a Fitness Instructor to support other people to build their fitness and strength and feel great and also to support those nervous to begin exercising again after an illness, operation or accident.”

When Covid hit last year and lockdown followed, Clare began Facebook live classes for children and families of a local primary school.

“I wondered if any of my friends would also be interested in a Facebook live fitness session every week, happily lots of people were interested!” added Clare.

“So every Friday at 10am a group came together to virtually chat, have fun and workout, it was great, we continued every week.

“As lockdown began to lift I didn’t want us all to lose the community, friendship and love of fitness that we had all built so Feel Good Health and Fitness was born!”

Over the past year, her Feel Good Health and Fitness community has grown and flourished.

“It is a warm, welcoming, supportive group of wonderful people who have all achieved great personal goals,” added Clare.

“From building their fitness, improving their mental health, making friends, learning about nutrition, losing weight or being able to do a burpee!

“Over the months we have all come together and worked out via Zoom three times or more per week, you never feel that you’re exercising alone at home, you feel part of a lovely group with great tunes!

“We have completed fitness challenges, raised money for charity by completing the Two Six Challenge for the NHS and raised money to support Georgy’s Fight and made friends before we’ve even met!

Clare has now started face to face classes and personal training sessions at her new fitness studio in Walgherton, near Nantwich.

And she has been shortlisted out of 4,000 nominations for the Community Fitness Awards in the Newcomer 2021 category.

“I’m so grateful to the wonderful people that nominated me,” she added.

“And so proud that Feel Good Health and Fitness and the wonderful community that its created has been recognised.”