MEMBERS of Haughton Green personal trainer Andy Hughes’ ‘Hiitcamp’ have taken great strides to raise funds for Tameside, Oldham and Glossop (TOG) MIND.
They participated five challenges this summer to not only improve their stamina but to help the local charity.
They set out to raise £1,000 but have already reached three times than amount after only two events.
So far 30 ‘Hiitcamp’ members climbed and completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks and undertaken a 40-mile canal walk from Macclesfield to Manchester and back to Denton.
The team scaled Snowdon on Sunday, August 8 and that was followed by a 90-minute ‘Hiitcamp’ in Haughton Green Park on Sunday, August 29 and members taking part in the Manchester Run on Sunday, September 26 over either 10K or a half marathon.
It was during lockdown that Andy helped raise more than £6,000 for St Mary’s Foodbank, Haughton Green.
He had put on free online workouts during lockdown to help the mental and physical wellbeing of residents.
Andy persuaded 48 people to take part in a challenge to walk a combined 1,056,000 steps in one day which equated to 500 miles.
But they smashed the target and finished with 1,375,482 steps which was more than 600 miles.
Andy saw his business come grinding to a halt during lockdown.
He initially began by starting free online Instagram workouts seven days a week.
Their popularity grew to such an extent that Andy created a YouTube channel offering free 30-minute online workouts three days each week.
Andy said: “I knew my clients needed to exercise for both their physical and mental wellbeing.
“I knew people were struggling and decided to put on free workouts for them.
“I built a community with 100 taking part in boot camps and a further 400 subscribing to the YouTube channel ‘Team HIITMAN’.”
Andy, who is assisted by girlfriend Colette Bowe, provided three classes on YouTube at 6.30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and an abs class at 7pm on Thursday. They were all free of charge.
He continued: “I set up the classes simply to help people who were struggling with lockdown, both physically and mentally.
“The group has grown, and I cannot believe the impact it has made.”