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The Team - South West

Simon Grodentz - Gloucestershire Simon established Gfitness back in 2008. He began his professional career in fitness as a Personal Trainer. However, after working with vulnerable adults in some lines of his work; he turned his focus towards helping people stay well and happy within the care setting. Simon is qualified in a wide range of fitness and wellbeing disciplines and runs many training courses for team members and care homes. He is committed to ensuring Gfitness provides the best possible service to as many people as possible. He can be contacted directly at simon@gfitness.co.uk for any questions or issues you may want help with.

Simon established Gfitness back in 2008. He began his professional career in fitness as a Personal Trainer. However, after working with vulnerable adults in some lines of his work; he turned his focus towards helping people stay well and happy within the care setting.

Simon is qualified in a wide range of fitness and wellbeing disciplines and runs many training courses for team members and care homes. He is committed to ensuring Gfitness provides the best possible service to as many people as possible. He can be contacted directly at simon@gfitness.co.uk for any questions or issues you may want help with.

Matthew Harris - Gloucestershire

Matthew Joined Simon as the second member of Gfitness back in 2015. Matthew showed that there was a demand for the services that Gfitness provides, not only in Gloucestershire but in other counties too.

Running his own classes for several years Matt is now also helping out with growth across the country and provides support for Gfitness instructors in terms of helping new instructors set up and marketing for the business. Matthew provides many of our falls prevention classes in Gloucestershire.

Tanya Gennaio - Gloucestershire

Tanya specialises in chair-based exercise classes in care and nursing homes as well as in the community. She can also supply massage therapy whether it be in Care or nursing homes or for individual clients.

Matthew Coopey - Gloucestershire

Matt has over 10 years in the fitness industry and specialises in chair-based exercise classes in care and nursing homes as well as in the community. He can also provide fun and entertaining sessions whether it be in Care homes or for individual clients on a 1-2-1 basis.

Matt also has a wide range of experience working in gyms and specialises in boxing padwork training. Matt is committed to provide the best service for his clients and represent Gfitness in the best way possible.

Sarah Burford - Gloucestershire

Sarah Is an experienced member of the Gfitness team with a history in personal training. She is also a qualified lower back specialist.

Sarah is our main supplier of exercise for people with learning disabilities in care and nursing homes throughout Gloucestershire.

Alex Lambert - Bristol

Alex has been working in the health and fitness industry since 2012 after graduating from the University of Gloucestershire with a degree in Sports Education and has a real passion for delivering exercise for all ages and abilities.

Since then, he has managed a local health club, taught swimming lessons to children and adults, provided football coaching, including to those with disabilities and taken a variety of exercise classes including those for older adults. This is something he continues to do today having been a Level 3 Personal Trainer for since 2016.

I have a wealth of experience in the fitness industry and I'm now looking to use those skills to provide first class chair-based exercise to care and nursing homes and older adults to help improve their quality of life.

Ali Smith - Bristol

Ali is our Bristol based instructor.

She is a Level 3 Qualified Personal Trainer and Chair Based Exercise Instructor. Ali can provide exercise for older adults and people with disabilities

Michael Stockman - South Devon

Mike has been involved in sports and fitness from an early age and has been part of a variety of sports teams over the years.

Mike’s experience in the fitness industry has included teaching swimming and leading fitness classes as well as personal training, he is now working with Gfitness to focus his experience in exercise within care and nursing homes for older adults and people with disabilities.

Michaela Woolliams - South Devon

Michaela is a certified exercise instructor, as well a registered Physiotherapist, running a private practice in partnership with her husband. She has worked in three countries (USA, Germany and the UK), and has twenty years of experience delivering group exercise sessions to vulnerable adults.

She has recently joined Gfitness and is looking forward to sharing her expertise with the people of Plymouth. "There is something magic about a room full of people exercising with music."

Her wide repertoire of music, equipment, and games has been especially popular with her groups.

Fleur Howard - South Devon

Through experiencing Stroke in her 20's, Fleur has a unique understanding of the importance of exercise for mental & physical wellbeing. As a result, she has developed fitness classes that are both safe & fun, encouraging motivation & mobility for every person.

As well as being a qualified level 3 instructor, she is also a specialist in targeted rehabilitation, GP referral, personal training, diet & nutrition. She is experienced with working with the elderly, the young & various conditions including stroke. She is also a qualified psychotherapist.

Karen Dowden - Cornwall

Karen is a qualified Level 3 Personal Trainer and Level 3 in Adapting Exercise for Independently Active Older People. Karen works within care and nursing homes throughout Cornwall with Gfitness as well as running chair-based exercise classes and classes for more mobile older adults in the local community.

"I am passionate about helping older adults exercise whilst including fun activities in the classes, it is so rewarding to see how much people benefit from my sessions."

Simon Wooldridge - East Dorset

Simon has always had a passion for the health and fitness industry. With over 20 years’ experience in dance.

Simon graduated from The University of Winchester with a Sports Science Degree After which he went on to focus on Leisure Management for 9 years, during that period he achieved a Level 3 in Personal Training and GP Referral and Exercise. Simon works with older adults and people with disabilities.

“Being with Gfitness is a dream job for me, helping people to maintain a healthy body is my keen goal.”

Ben Smith - East Dorset

Ben has experience working with the elderly in a mental health setting since 2008. During this time, he has worked alongside Physiotherapists to help residents with fall prevention and passive movement exercises.

Ben is qualified in chair-based exercise and has been running a variety of classes such as upbeat exercise with music and props, chair based Tai Chi and Chinese self-massage to help with mindfulness through movement meditation.

“I have a passion for exercise and I believe that it should be fun, enjoyable and accessible to all. Exercise is not just for physical health it is also great for mental health and well-being.”

Antony Passmore - East Dorset

Antony has 20 years experience as a secondary school teacher, specialising in Physical Education and has worked with a wide range of age groups and with people with a variety or different disabilities. His more recent work has been in the care sector including domiciliary care, supported living with people with learning disabilities and residential care with people with dementia, as a support worker and activity coordinator.

Antony Is a Level 3 Personal Trainer and has Level 3 GP referral therefore can work with clients with chronic illness. Antony believes being active at some level should be accessible to anyone no matter their Ability and is essential to maintaining a good quality of life both physically and emotionally.