Specialist Parkinson’s boxing gym celebrates their 4th birthday

Rock Steady boxing Widnes held an event to mark the anniversary, with 40 people in attendance as well as several local politicians.

Mark Young, the CEO of Halton Borough Council, Mark Whorton, a councillor for Halton, and Mark Dennett, the Mayor of Halton, attended, and were put through their paces by lead instructor Tommy O’Connor.

Mark Young and Mark Dennett being put through their paces by Tommy O'Connor (Image: Rock Steady Widnes)

Tommy founded the Widnes branch of Rock Steady Boxing, a non-contact fitness programme for people with Parkinson’s disease. He himself has Parkinson’s, and is a qualified instructor.

The gym caters to over 90 boxers a month, with the participants ranging from people in their late 30s to their early 80s.

According to Rock Steady evidence has shown that progress is made in all stages of Parkinson’s by those participating in the Rock Steady Boxing program.

The gym even caters to those in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease, with these people having special programmes worked on ‘hand in hand’ by their care-givers and the instructors from Rock Steady, referred to as their corner men/women.

Michelle Fox from Rock Steady Widnes said: “Our vision of becoming the 1st affiliate training programme in the UK has already materialised. We will be hosting the 1st ever UK training course 11th & 12th March 2023, which we are very excited and passionate about.

“We want all Parkinson’s sufferers to know that our workouts help with day to day Parkinson's issues, and makes a difference to their overall physical and mental health.

“Parkinson’s UK are also backing this training course and have collaborated with Rock Steady Boxing Head Quarters in Indianapolis.”

Sessions are held on Tuesdays & Thursdays 12-1pm 2:30-3:30pm, Wednesday 2:30- 3:30pm and Friday 5-6pm, at Milton House in Widnes.