Students in Suffolk help people with Parkinson's fight back
Two students have been helping out with specialist boxing classes for people with Parkinsons
Two students in Suffolk have been helping people with Parkinson's fight back against their condition.
The pair, Adam Beverley and Jamie Crofts, have teamed up with Williams Martial Arts to help off the special sessions.
The classes have been happening weekly at the Murrayside Youth and Community Centre on Nacton Road.
We spoke to Gavin Williams who runs the Parkinson's boxing sessions: "It's nice to see the the college students get involved... It's fantastic.
"And obviously we had Adam and Jamie volunteer as part of their Level 3 course that they're doing for college because originally they were our first ever intake of volunteers.
"When they were doing their level one or level 2 a couple of years ago before lockdown. So it's nice that they've returned and wanted to get involved again.
"It's also nice that the boxers like it when there's students involved because they say that kind of makes them feel younger and there's that kind of young energy and the classes that helps boost them up."
We asked Gavin why these classes were important: "We work on just generic boxing skills and fitness. It's non contact, so they don't actually box each other and we do a lot of bag work.
"We're very lucky that where we run the sessions at Mary side is where the Ipswich Boxing Club host their sessions. So we have all the kit ready to go. It's all hanging up on the walls.
"We've got an abundance of different equipment that we can use, Just to enhance their everyday movements and strength and conditioning stuff that they might struggle with at home.
"For example, when we're punching the bags, we tend to try and punch up higher than just generally in in front. To encourage that kind of reach in motion.
"We do ladder, agility work to work on their footwork because part of Parkinson's, you get what's called like a freezing gate with your feet.
"They tend to have trouble walking or kind of forgetting how to step, and they they false. There's a little bit of fall prevention work.
"General strength and conditioning stretching is really important just to help him with everyday skills like getting dressed."
Gavin very much enjoys helping and seeing how the people on the programme are developing: "If boxing isn't specifically for them, then there are other sessions out there that are just as good.
"Doing something is better than sitting in and sit in within your your diagnosis and declining."