Zumbathon in aid of Andy’s Man Club raises over £200

A Zumba danceathon at JD Gyms Rochdale has raised over £200 for men’s mental health charity, Andy’s Man Club.

Local Zumba instructor Mia Pedro was joined by fellow instructors Sarah Matthews, of Oldham, Megan Milward, of Middleton, and Chris Appleton, of Cheshire, in leading enthusiastic participants in the three-hour event.

The event on Saturday (9 December), raised a total of £228.24 for Andy’s Man Club, a men’s mental health charity that supports, empowers, and gives men the opportunity to talk about things that are affecting their mental health and wellbeing.

The sessions are free to attend, and really work to challenge the stigma around men’s mental health.

Andy’s Man Club started out in Halifax and it’s since grown into a national venture, with two clubs in Rochdale at Mayfield Sports Centre and the Our Spot Community Hub at the Crown Oil Arena.

Mia said: “Thank you to all the sponsors and everyone involved and who donated. I am overwhelmed by the community spirit and all the things donated to help deliver this event.

“A big thank you to branch manager Laura Kennedy for hosting and coming up with this amazing idea for the fundraiser.

“Laura approached me knowing I plan several events for charity during the course of the year; in August the Zumba crew raised over £700 for Springhill Hospice. We love getting everyone together to raise funds for a good cause.”

 

 

The sports therapist continued: “I love delivering fun fitness sessions, but mental health in men is forevermore worsening and is especially hard towards Christmas time which is why this year we chose to try and raise awareness and funds to help Andy’s Man Club continue their fantastic job.

“Andy’s Man Club provides a safe space for men to talk and get things off the chest without judgement.

“Professional help should always be sought out for mental health problems. But Andy’s Man Club is a fantastic first port of call for anyone to take a step in the right direction without being overwhelmed by the thought of having to ‘honk to therapy’.”

The Zumbathon was sponsored by a range of local businesses: Clintons donated black and white balloons for the day; Fresh Prep Street Food donated protein snacks; Applied Nutrition donated energy gels and drinks, and Melissa Jane’s hair salon helped with the event planning and booking system and also donated product samples to the participants.

 

 

In addition to hosting the event, JD Gyms also gave away free guest passes for everyone attending whilst Next Level Strength and Fitness donated free classes for participants and James Ratcliffe at JPR Sports Therapy donated vouchers for attendees to receive a sports massage discount.

Mia is also planning a charity Zumba event in aid of Castleton children’s charity Jolly Josh in February 2024 at the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre: www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/events/74020/zumba-masterclass

Andy’s Man Club runs every Monday from 7-9pm every Monday (except Bank Holidays) and is open to any male aged 18+.

If you would like to attend Andy’s Man Club Rochdale, please email info@andysmanclub.co.uk or message the Facebook page.