16 March 2010
Spring into action with 'Urban Gym'
A new sporting initiative designed to get City workers and
residents fit by using the Square Mile as an 'Urban Gym' has been
launched by Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning decathlete Dean
Macey today (Tuesday 16 March 2010).
Macey, who is now a fully qualified personal trainer, led a 'Rat
Race Urban Gym' class starting in Paternoster Square before
attending photocalls at Tower Bridge, St Paul's and the Millennium
Bridge dressed in a combination of traditional City banker attire
and sports gear.
The initiative, which is organised by an independent company
called Detail Events and supported by the City of London
Corporation, provides the perfect opportunity to make good on
long-forgotten New Year's resolutions by exercising outdoors among
some of the Square Mile's most iconic sites. Previous classes
have involved performing activities at locations across the City,
such as pull-ups at the Millennium Bridge.
Lord Mayor Nick Anstee said:
"I am passionate about how sport and exercise can help to
transform the lives of people across the City for the better. This
year's Lord Mayor's Appeal, Pitch Perfect, does precisely that and
'Urban Gym' offers another opportunity for workers and residents to
maintain a healthy work/life balance.
"As people – including myself – prepare to take part in the
London Marathon next month, this is a great chance to take
advantage of the recently improved weather conditions and get in
some last-minute preparation."
Each class sees fully qualified instructors guiding participants
around a city street circuit using the natural and man-made
environment to create an invigorating outdoor training experience.
It includes ‘on the go’ challenges such as wall climbs and stair
sprints.
The twice-weekly workouts, which last for an hour, take place in
London and Bristol and will launch in Edinburgh, Cardiff and
Nottingham later this month.
Ends
Notes to editors
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2010 – Pitch Perfect:
This year, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Cricket Foundation
are the principal beneficiary charities of The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
Through their educational programmes, both organisations provide
dynamic musical and cricketing opportunities to young people in
their schools and communities in London’s most challenging
boroughs. For more information about The Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2010,
to make a donation or to see the many ways in which you could help
the Appeal please visit:
www.thelordmayorsappeal.org
About the Lord Mayor of the City of London:
The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London
authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical.
It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some
90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each
month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor
represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise
the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial
services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels
to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a
Cabinet Minister. On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of
state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance minister
each week to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with
senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor, who is
unpaid, lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.
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About the City of London Corporation:
The City of London Corporation is a uniquely diverse organisation.
It supports and promotes the City – the business district at the
heart of London - as a world leader in international finance and
business services and provides local services and policing for
those working in, living in and visiting the Square Mile. It also
provides valued services to London and the nation. These include
the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama;
the Guildhall Library and Art Gallery and London Metropolitan
Archive; a range of education provision (including three City
Academies); five Thames bridges (including Tower Bridge and the
Millennium Bridge); the Central Criminal Court at Old Bailey; over
10,000 acres of open spaces (including Hampstead Heath and Epping
Forest), and three wholesale food markets. It is also London’s Port
Health Authority and runs the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow.
It works in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on the
regeneration of surrounding areas and the City Bridge Trust, which
it oversees, donates more than £15m to charity annually.
Press contact
Sanjay Odedra, Press Officer, City of London Corporation
T: +44 (0)20 7332 1835 / M: +44 (0)7831 542 856
Email:
sanjay.odedra@cityoflondon.gov.uk