Erskine Reid Macewen Activities Centre has unveiled a new gym for veterans that is designed to maintain functional fitness.
The Erskine Reid Macewen Activities Centre (ERMAC), based in the Veterans Village in Bishopton, now has a specially designed, fully equipped and accessible gym for the its veterans.
The first-class equipment, purchased with the Veteran Foundation’s donation of £25,761, includes a range of space and equipment, readily available for the veterans to use.
The new gym offers squat and mobility stations, punch bags, skiing, rowing and cardio equipment, weights and some selections of medicine and slam balls, all aimed at keeping veterans fit.
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Erskine is a charity that provides care for veterans with supportive care. The charity looks after people through four care homes and a Veterans Village, which sees people stay at cottages purposed built for veterans.
Erskine offers social, recreation and training facilities at the Activity Centre, that look to kick start veterans into the next phase of their life.
Activities Centre manager Debs Dickson said: “The ERMAC gym has been the final piece of the puzzle in developing the Activity Centre.
"We are absolutely delighted to be able to offer them the opportunity to improve their physical and mental well-being whilst in a safe space.
“The diversity of the project is reflected in the age groups that have already been using the equipment with our youngest being 34 and our oldest 84, our trainers have the skill set to match individual needs to specific training plans.”
The Veterans’ Foundation has facilitated the transformation of previously unused space within the centre into a highly functional gym.
The funding given by the ERMAC will also pay for tuition, servicing and maintenance for a three-year period. The use of the gym and the development of individual performance programmes by instructors Alistair Lamb and Annie Earley will have a hugely significant impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of Veterans, spouses and carers within the community.
Craig Lynes, of Clydebuilt Fitness, added: “When we were approached to quote for creating a gym with adaptable equipment we were very excited to become involved in such an innovative project. It has been a pleasure to work with Debs and Alistair on developing a gym accessible for all the Centres’ Veterans.
“The gym contains the same equipment as found in any other gym except the Erskine gym caters for disabilities and allows members to exercise in safety with their fellow Veterans”.
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