The word ‘stronger’ has never meant more to a personal trainer who suddenly found herself going solo in business at the start of lockdown.
But that’s exactly what Sharon Plummer had to become when she launched her new health and fitness group on a farm earlier this year.
Despite beginning the new venture in the middle of a pandemic - without yet naming it - Mrs Plummer’s idea for a farm-based bootcamp became an overnight success.
She said: “I launched Stronger Health and Fitness literally in the midst of lockdown - the very name Stronger suddenly had to take on a new meaning.
“During this time, a local family run business, Oakland Organic Eggs, in Horsford, went from selling eggs to setting up providing the community with fruit and vegetables as well as eggs.
“They very quickly worked with lots of local suppliers to keep us all provided, even adding deliveries.
“I live next to the farm and always thought how amazing it would be to get people outdoors training there.
“I would run though there every day and would think it would make a wonderful environment for outdoor classes, especially as being active was the very thing to keep everyone sane, providing a massive escape, and improvement for mental health - something I have always been an advocate of.”
After speaking with owners Jessica Clements and Ashley Lawrence, the trio decided to work together with the farm offering supplies while Mrs Plummer kept people fit by running Bootcamp at the Farm every week.
Bootcamp at the Farm was put on the minute Mrs Plummer was allowed to hold it, starting with sticking to the maximum of six people and putting on sessions back-to-back to fit everyone in, including people who had trained previously but did not want to return to the gym and people who had never trained before.
Mrs Plummer added: “The feedback has been wonderful.
“I’ve heard stories of how it’s helped people mentally as well as physically. It’s also been good to see local villagers being able to walk to a good morning workout, as well as being able to take away healthy food boxes provided by Oaklands.
“What could be better than a healthy box of all the ingredients to make some healthy post-workout pancakes, having just jumped straw bales and flipped large tyres?
“With so many being cooped up at home, either working from home or dealing with anxiety to go out, training outdoors gives them a brilliant safe way of leaving the house and bringing a welcome relief.”
Mrs Plummer has vowed to remain training outdoors all year round at the farm in a bid to encourage people to keep being active to help with mental wellbeing and for physical benefits.
More details about Bootcamp at the Farm can be found at www.strongerhealthandfitness.co.uk
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