Health & Fitness

Forget about Tour De France, it’s Tour de Furzton Lake this June! Cycle4MK50 has organised a thrilling five mile bike ride led by qualified cycle leaders on Sunday 11 June at Furzton Lake, gearing up at 11.30am. Pouring into life in the 1980s, Furzton Lake has always been one of Milton Keynes best loved spots, so of course it had to be included in the MK50 celebrations. The epic Cycle4MK50 ride is open to anyone over the age of 14, with bikes provided by Santander Cycles MK. So no bike, no problem! Setting off from Furzton Lake car park, push those pedals down and explore MK’s stunning man-made lake. Zoom passed the Triple Star Head sculpture by Romanian artist Paul Neagu, see if you can spot the newly hatched birds on the banks, and ju-ju-jutter across the bumpy wooden bridge. You might even spot a heron flying overhead! To join..

Specialist Neurological Care Centre, P J Care in Milton Keynes, has heeded a call for help from the MK University Hospital NHS Trust, with the purchase and donation of a mobile shower commode for the hospital’s stroke unit. The shower chair which has cost more than £1000 will make showering and toileting stroke patients much more dignified, comfortable and efficient – for patients, their carers and staff - preventing the need for additional transfers around the bathroom. It will also reduce the risk of strain in staff and carers, as well as prevent the likelihood of falls or slips in patients. Vanessa Holmes, Head of Fund Raising said: “The shower chair for our stroke unit is something our NHS budgets won’t fund, so we are thrilled that P J Care looked favourably on this item of equipment. It will most definitely make a difference to our stroke patients and our..

Supporters lined the streets as a record number of runners converged on Stadium MK for the Milton Keynes Marathon events on Sunday 30th and Monday 1st May. Olympian Gail Emms and BBC radio presenter Jo Whiley were among the 10,000 runners who took part in a weekend of running with course records set by the women in the Marathon, Half Marathon and Sunday’s Rocket 5K run. Among the thousands of runners to finish the marathon was Robyn Thorman from Northampton, who said, “the MK Marathon stadium finish should be experienced by every runner – you feel like a champion! The course crowds were amazing” Gareth Cooke won the men’s full marathon in 2 hours 40 minutes and 8 seconds, while Asia Zmyslona was the first female marathon runner to cross the line, doing so in 2 hours 57 minutes and 37 seconds, setting a new course record. David Hudson was..

LOCAL runners have shown that the blisters and sore legs from the Milton Keynes Marathon were worth it, as more than £6,000 in sponsorship rolls in to help Milton Keynes University Hospital patients.  Runners chose to support a number of hospital services including the neonatal unit, children’s wards and trauma and orthopaedic.  Milton Keynes Hospital Charity supporters on May 1 included hospital staff, runners from companies including Santander, Adorable Nurseries and TXM Healthcare – as well as young superhero fun runners Annie and Lissie Rowe who raised almost £1,000 including gift aid!   Local dad Andrew Buckley raised more than £1,300 for the neonatal unit. He said: “The hospital looked after my little boy Harry when he was born early last year. It really made a difference when they let Harry’s twin sister Leila come and visit him in the neonatal unit, even though she wasn’t a patient. This is my..

The MK marathon relay is only a few weeks away!! To help you enjoy your challenge, here are some useful mind mastery techniques from our Consultant Health Psychologist, Dr Sue Peacock to get you to past the starting post and over the finishing line. Dealing with pre-race anxiety: Feeling a little jittery? Don’t worry, as the majority of runners do, it doesn’t seem to matter whether it their first marathon relay or if they are experienced runners. Remember you have done all the hard work in your training, the race is for you to enjoy Be prepared – you know that you have trained properly, now its time to put the finishing touches to it. You might want to look at the course map, so you know what to expect. Use a checklist to make sure you have everything you need including your running shoes and race number! If you..

A Milton Keynes fitness studio’s “vibrant new interpretation” of yoga has seen it land three prestigious accolades at two separate business awards ceremonies.  Successful yoga centre Sweat Studios, based at The Hub, scoop Small Business of the Year after beating off 19 competitors at the Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards 2017, held at The Ballroom, Hilton Hotel, Stadium MK.  In fact, March has been a month of celebrations for Sweat Studios, with the company, which is celebrating its third birthday, also scooping Milton Keynes Business of the Year Award in the final in the Buckinghamshire SME Awards in the Best Business in Milton Keynes category.  Kirsty Lowe, director, was presented with the award at a glistening awards ceremony at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel on Thursday, March 30, and also picked up overall winner on the night. She said: “This year the judges had a record number of entries and..

The Milton Keynes Marathon is set to be one of the biggest events of the year and organisers are calling for more volunteers to join the team of over 500 who make the magic happen. With 10,000 runners predicted to take part in the sixth MK Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay and Superhero Fun Run, an army of helpers will be needed to ensure the event goes smoothly. Volunteer roles are available across every aspect of the event from setting up the course to marshaling, giving out medals and helping at Stadium MK. As well as a great experience of being part of such a big event, the valued volunteer team receive a Race Crew T-Shirt, Brioche roll and Subway lunch. New for 2017, all Event Crew will receive a commemorative MK Marathon pin badge showing the year and number of the event. Each year, volunteers will be able to..

A DENTAL hygienist from Milton Keynes has been using her skills to improve oral health in poor and remote parts of Nepal.  Anne Martin Powders spent two weeks volunteering as part of a team with the international dental charity Dentaid. The team visited orphanages, projects for street children, schools and remote communities to provide pain relieving dental treatments and oral health education.  The volunteers also saw some of the devastation caused by the earthquake which hit the country in 2015. “Although there has been some redevelopment some rural families still live in temporary corrugated iron shelters which are draughty and basic,” said Anne.  In Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, the team provided dental treatment and advice at a women’s co-operative group and an orphanage. “We worked outdoors treating many women and children with the most beautiful backdrop of the snowy Himalayan range inspiring us,” said Anne. “Our hearts went out to the..

Runners are racing to sign up for the Milton Keynes Marathon with organisers preparing for their biggest event yet when it returns for its sixth year on Monday 1st May as one of the flagship events of the MK50 celebrations. Entries are already up 25% on previous years with the number of runners predicted to reach 10,000 across the five events which make up the Marathon Weekend. Runners can sign up for the full marathon, half marathon, MK Marathon Relay or the Superhero Fun Run. There’s also the return of the Rocket 5K race which takes place the day before the main event – a fast, downhill 5Km run between CMK and Stadium MK. Event Director Andy Hully said: “We’re very excited that so many runners want to join us in celebrating MK50 by running through some of the most beautiful parts of Milton Keynes. This is a great opportunity..

centre:mk, Milton Keynes’ iconic shopping centre, will be transformed into a 500-seater sporting arena next Wednesday (8 Feb) for an evening of live badminton entertainment – but not as you know it - featuring Team GB stars, Olympians and international talent.  And fans can expect all the party atmosphere of last week’s MK50 celebrations as the AJ Bell National Badminton League reaches a thrilling season finale with the top two teams going head-to-head in a ‘winner takes all shoot-out’ to be champions.  The Championship Final gets under way at 7.30pm on a specially laid court in Middleton Hall, serving up 150 minutes of great value, top class sporting action from first point to last. But who will play for the Championship trophy next Wednesday is still up for grabs with the race to make Milton Keynes going down to this Monday’s last round of fixtures.  Five teams – Suffolk Saxons,..

A Milton Keynes charity that helps place vulnerable children with new families is looking for people to join their team of runners for the Milton Keynes Marathon and Half Marathon. The marathon and half marathon takes place on 1st May 2017. St. Francis’ Children’s Society, a local adoption agency and children’s charity based in Woolstone, have three marathon places and two half marathon places and so if you are interested in a place, then best get in touch soon. The 150-year-old charity will use the funds to help continue offering its services to children and families in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. The charity also covers Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, and parts of Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. St. Francis’ Children’s Society offer life-long support to these children and their adoptive families and are here for them whenever they are in need. By joining the St. Francis’ Children’s Society MK..

As the city of Milton Keynes gears up to turn fifty, Freedom Leisure is taking the opportunity to highlight the serious message of the importance of being fit at fifty. No one likes to think about getting old and in today’s society fifty certainly does not count as “being old”, however, there is no getting away from the fact that what happens to our bodies as we age is not nice and depending on your lifestyle, things can really start to deteriorate when you hit the big 5-0, making it a crucial time in life to think about health and fitness. Richard Merrick, Fitness and Wellbeing Development Manager, Freedom Leisure, says: “It is possible to be in the best shape of your life at fifty and there are certainly many people who are extremely fit at this age which is great, yet for those who do not take regular exercise..

Milton Keynes women are being urged to get the New Year off to a great start by signing up now to Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life 2017.  The charity is calling on women of all shapes and sizes to show cancer who’s boss by choosing their event - Race for Life 5k, 10k or Pretty Muddy – and committing to take part at Campbell Park and Willen Lake this summer.  Although many see January as the perfect opportunity to start a new chapter in terms of health and fitness, motivation can slip as the cold weather drags on.      That’s where Race for Life comes in. The 5k and 10k events will take place on Sunday 11th June and Pretty Muddy will take place on Saturday 10 September so women who sign up now will be creating their own compelling goal to aim for later in the year,..

Imagine blocking out all the stresses and strains of the daily grind, the feeling of complete tranquillity and escapism. Imagine floating on a cloud - that’s the experience you get at Floatation Life. The new family owned business in Crownhill launched in December and is set to bring a new dimension of relaxation to people in Milton Keynes. The Mayor and Mayoress of Milton Keynes were invited to be the first to see the new venture. Floatation Life is one of just a few floatation therapy centres in the UK – the latest trend in alternative therapy through sensory deprivation that allows people to disconnect from the intense digital lifestyle.  Floatation Life has two of the most advanced floatation tanks in the world. Each tank is filled to just 10-inches in depth of water containing 25% solution of Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate) – more than the Dead Sea –allowing the body to..

A team of six Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants based in central Milton Keynes, set their customers a “clothes raising” weight loss challenge that ran over the past 2 months. As their weight loss meant that they were quickly out shrinking their clothes they created an initiative to donate their clothes to local charity MK Act.  In just 2 months the slimmers managed to shift an impressive amount of weight and dress sizes! Many slimmers even managed to drop more than 1 size during the period thanks to following the Cambridge Weight Plan, which provides flexible weight loss programmes with 1:1 support for women and men. One member from the team of Cambridge Weight Plan Consultants learned about MK Act after becoming a member of the networking group Women In Enterprise, MK Act was their 2016 charity of the year.  MK Act is a charity, which works with over 100 families..