A chair exercise instructor is aiming to rally more than 1,200 people to break a world record, while raising funds for three charities.
Tracy Ferguson has run inclusive, all-abilities welcome chair fitness classes in Newark, Fernwood, and Grantham under her banner ‘Sit, Get Fit, Get Healthy’ since 2018, and is now aiming to run her biggest session yet — the biggest in the world.
When one of her 250 members told Tracy about a recent record-breaking 90-minute chair exercise session held at Chesterfield FC with 1,224 participants, an idea was born to try and set a new world record.
Sit, get Fit, get Healthy, with Tracy Ferguson. Photo: Supplied
“I said, I don’t know. It’s a big ask, it’s a big scale,” Tracy said.
“I chatted to some of my members, and it got going — but its not just about breaking the record, but also raising money for local charities.
“I’ve helped people change their lives and in turn we want to help changes others’ lives too, while doing something we’re passionate about.”
Beaumond House, Newark Women’s Aid, and Newark Food Bank have been selected as the group’s chosen charities — and now attention has turned to finding a suitable venue and as many participants as possible.
The classes, and the record-attempt, are open to people of all physical abilities, of any age.
Tracy Ferguson, of Sit, get Fit, get Healthy, is aiming to break the world record for chair exercise. Photo: Supplied
Tracy, who previously worked for Weight Watchers before branching off on her own and ‘never looking back’, added: “I work with the blind, I work with people with dementia — I help people get healthier and move, it’s not all about losing weight.
“In some classes I have a grandma, her daughter, and her granddaughter. Where else would you find that, three generations together in one room doing the same exercises?
“I’ve got a woman who now works out with me five times a week who has reversed type two diabetes, and another lady who is almost 90 and comes twice a week. It’s such a different spectrum of people, men and ladies.”
Sit, get Fit, get Healthy, with Tracy Ferguson. Photo: Supplied
The instructor is keen to hear from individuals or businesses who may be able to assist with a suitable venue for the record attempt, and anyone who would like to take part. She can be contacted on 07871 950256 or via her Facebook page: SIT, get FIT, get Healthy with Tracy Ferguson.
“It’s such a lot of people. I’ve done one with 200 people previously at the Salvation Army for little Liam, my nephew, which raised a lot for Brain Tumour Research,” she added.