Mytime Active 20th Birthday - Member's stories
Phil and Anne from Bromley are both in their seventies. Together they are certainly enjoying their retirement. The couple who have seven grownup grandchildren, put their health and well-being foremost in their daily routine in order for them to live a happy and fulfilled life. Here they will explain their shared love of line dancing and how this has created social opportunities and a healthy routine.
Phil, a former surveyor, and Anne, who worked mainly as a secretary in the medical field, have been married for 48 years. They say: “We’ve always loved to dance. Firstly ballroom dancing, but now we just attend sequence dances. Since retirement, and after our grandchildren had grown up, we were keen to get out of the house and keep active. We discovered Mytime Active’s Primetime line dancing classes and it’s safe to say we are both hooked.”
Together they attend around six line dancing classes a week, sometimes doing two classes a day, whilst Anne additionally attends a paracise session, a gentle workout designed to improve mobility, flexibility and balance.
Phil says: “We love it. Line dancing is great. It’s a fantastic class that anyone can do. You don’t need a partner, the teacher is absolutely brilliant and makes it fun, the music is modern and really uplifting and it’s so good for your memory too. The classes give us a real sense of purpose and we’ve made many new friends too.”
Anne explains: “We either drive, car share or use our bus passes to attend various Mytime Active locations across the borough, which include The Pavilion, The Spa and Crofton Hall. We love the routine it gives us. We wake up with something to look forward to. The line dancing classes are always lively, with around 40 people attending. The teacher is fantastic and always goes the extra mile by going over the dances to ensure that when she puts the music on we can all do it. The line dancing is a great opportunity for retired folk to meet new people; it really opens up friendships. We often stay after the class for a coffee and a chat with the friends we’ve made.
“Our friends and family tell us that we are hardly ever at home. We are always busy and our Primetime membership is great value.”
Both Phil and Anne recommend Primetime saying: ‘We would tell anyone to give it a go! Although our passion is line dancing, there are plenty of other classes and sessions available. The Primetime Buddies, who volunteer their time, are always on hand to meet and greet everyone, take the register and make sure everyone feels welcome. The buddies go above and beyond and are a wonderful asset to both Mytime Active and the borough. The classes are good for both your mental and physical health, so don’t give up on life at retirement, it’s just the beginning of the next stage in your life!”