Hi all, I am raising money to support one of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trusts (LPT), mental health recovery unit. I work for LPT and I fully understand what benefits a mini gym will have in supporting our patients recovery pathway. I personally have had experience of how exercise therapy can help create a positive experience and aid recovery.

Patients at Stewart House in Narborough have severe and enduring mental illnesses which impact on every aspect of their lives. Patients usually spend around 15 months on the ward at Stewart House, working with staff to help them with every aspect of their recovery – finding ways to manage their behaviour, medication and re-engaging with their family and community.   

We all know that being physically active is good for us – for our bodies but also for our minds. Physical activity can help us to feel healthier, feel more confident about how we look, feel successful when we set and achieve a goal and to feel better able to cope with stress and to sleep better. These things are important for everyone but even more so to help someone in their recovery from mental illness.  

We don’t want much! Just a few key pieces of equipment will make a huge difference – a recumbent exercise bike, a multi-gym, some resistance bands and exercise mats. Currently there is no exercise equipment at all at Stewart House.  Patients have told us they want to exercise, but it needs to be somewhere they feel safe and comfortable. It’s too big a leap for them to go from finding it hard to get motivated to get out of bed to going for a run round the grounds (as lovely as they are!) or confident enough to use the equipment at the local park. Having an on-ward ‘mini gym’ area will boost motivation, confidence and provide the chance to experience all the other awesome benefits of physical activity. We have a conservatory area which, with a little alteration, would make a great gym space overlooking the garden.

Your donation, whatever you can afford, will help patients at Stewart House on their road to recovery. Once we have achieved our goal and the gym is up and running - I would be very happy to host anyone who sponsors me at the site, so you can see what a positive impact your donation has made.