Gym flexes creative muscles to help others

BY NIAMH HAYES

‘GIVE a little, help a lot’ is the message one local business is spreading at a time when lots of businesses are being hit by Covid-19.

Guerilla Fitness in Lisavaird is lending a hand to those in need. In a novel idea by owners Brendan and Hilary Walsh, they are asking the public to get behind their initiative which will help local businesses battling the crisis.

Brendan and Hilary are asking the public to donate as little as €5 to a GoFundMe page that they set up last week. They will then share a very simple fitness challenge on their social media platforms each week, which can be done by anyone of any ability.

Share your results of the challenge online and whoever has the highest score at the end of the week will receive a voucher from a local business to the value of the money that was donated that week.

‘The more donations we receive, the more we can help a small local business which closed in order to stem the spread of Covid-19,’ explained Brendan.

‘When we get through this, we all want our local pubs, cafés, restaurants, hotels, hairdressers and more to be there, and this is how we can help.’

Each week they will pick a different small local business to buy the voucher from, and it is hoped this will help with overheads and running costs while the firm’s doors were closed.

Brendan and Hilary themselves have had to adapt their own business in light of social distancing guidelines.

‘As a result of the crisis, we have had to pivot and put much of our business online. We had been planning for this possibility, so we were able to move swiftly and ensure our clients could still enjoy their classes from the comfort of their own homes. While it’s not the same, it’s the best anyone can do during these difficult circumstances. We’re lucky. We know our business will survive this, but we’re also aware that many others may not,’ says Brendan.

The first fitness challenge which went live last weekend was to complete as many air squats in three minutes as possible.

Everyone can do this challenge, and there is no equipment needed.

If you would like to take part in the challenge, search for ‘Guerilla Fitness’ on social media platforms, and you can donate to the initiative via www.gofundme.com/f/support-our-local-businesses