The Gloucester Aqua Aerobic Social Group is still going strong and solid, despite the 'blip' of COVID and a very rainy year.
Currently the group sits at 24 members, and runs exercise sessions at the Gloucester Olympic Swimming Pool four days a week, with some social occasions thrown in.
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The group is run completely by volunteers, with members Joy Toms and Julie Reay leading the sessions. Joy runs the cardio and low impact sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Julie leads the weight sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Julie explains the benefits of aqua aerobics.
"It's a low impact exercise so it's excellent for joints. In our group you work as fast as you'd like to work. So you can really push it or you can just coast through.
"It's good cardio because it's a lot of physical movement, arms and legs. And of course we chat all the time!
"The weight component is more static. There is a bit of leg work but a lot of it is your arms and your upper body with the weights.
"Because the pool's heated, it's excellent for walking and for your joints."
In addition to the exercise sessions, the pool is sometimes used for social occasions.
"We use the pool facilities a couple of times a year. We've had a barbecue and a picnic. We often have our Christmas party down there," Julie says.
"But we also meet once a month at a café or a restaurant downtown. That's true throughout the year. So even when the pool's closed. We still make it to town once a month."
Now the pool is closed over winter, the group is in hiatus for exercising purposes until the pool reopens on the October long weekend.
If you would like to join the group, just pop along while the group is at the pool during swimming season, Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 10.30am.
It doesn't matter your size - Julie says there is a range of shapes and sizes taking part - or your age - the
"Just come along one morning and say, 'can I join in'?" Julie says.
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Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
