The Isle of Wight Foodbank has benefitted from a large donation thanks to new and existing members of Ali’s Fitness Fusion.
Ali Hinde runs fitness classes in Arreton, Binstead, Newport and Wootton and as part of this year’s Community Fitness Week (8th-14th November), she encouraged members to join a campaign entitled #fitnessforfood.
Fitness instructors across the country hosted their regular classes with an emphasis on encouraging new participants to attend and try something new. Every class goer, new or regular, was asked to bring a non-perishable item of food to their class, for donation to a local foodbank.
Community Fitness Week launched in 2019 seeing over 380 foodbanks supported and over 125,000 meals raised by exchanging fitness for food. 2020 went virtual and despite the challenges of COVID-19 across the UK, still managed to raise over 20,000 meals.
This year, in the aftermath of the global pandemic, it has never been more important to support local communities. Members of Ali’s fitness classes have stepped up to the plate, donating a mountain of foodstuffs for the benefit of those less fortunate on the Isle of Wight.
Ali this week found out she is a finalist for the Fitsteps Instructor of the Year award in the South East region. She will travel to Blackpool next month with 35 members of her classes for a Roaring 20s event being held at the iconic Blackpool Tower ballroom.
Admirable though this campaign is, it begs the question why in 2021 we need food banks. Why are families unable to feed themselves? Why are wages insufficient? Why are benefits insufficient? Do food banks allow govts and employers to abdicate their responsibilities?