Maura Reflecting on 2012
Well what a fantastic sporting year 2012 was, Tour de France, Andy Murray, The Ryder Cup and of course The Olympics and Paralympics. We all have to hang on to this feel good factor regarding sport….get out there and get fit!!
It has been a mixed year for me and the family, sadly early on in the year, Mothers Day to be precise we lost our lovely dad Milo, without going into great detail he passed very quickly and peacefully, a great comfort to us all. He spent his last week in the wonderful care of Cheadle Hospital Ward 2.
The year started with the usual January rush….let's get fit campaign, this usually carries through until March then it all fails!!! COME ON GIRLS KEEP IT UP THIS YEAR. Classes kept busy though which was great, the atmosphere still electric in that hall on a Tuesday night!!
The fundraising Zumbathons began in February with The Edna Thornton Preschool Zumbathon on February 29th, a brilliant night resulting in £300 for the nursery. Huge thanks to Jo Pickford and Emma Smith for their help in organising the event.
The next Zumbathon came in April with the Cheadle Primary School event; we raised a whopping £519 for the Reception Class outdoor area. Thanks to “Miss Stubbs” and Claire Saxon for the organisation and CEH Logistics, WT Riley and sons, and CC Interiors for sponsoring the event.
I decided in April to donate all my class money and personal training money for one week to Cheadle Hospital Ward 2 for their care of Milo. I was totally astounded by the total of £1,200.00; no I don't earn this in a week!!!! People were just so generous. THANK YOU.
In July Zumba Maura vests and t shirts became available. These are great quality shirts in a variety of colours and sizes with my fantastic logo on the front and “Party like You Mean It!!” on the back, they are £15 and have been very popular, and I am really pleased with them.
The summer of fantastic sport arrived and I like everyone else in this country was totally transfixed, I have never cried so much and hated leaving the telly. The 2012 Olympics were incredible but no one was prepared for the super sensational 2012 Paralympics….WOW, words fail me. If anyone out there was not affected by those incredible athletes, I feel sorry for you, simply the best sporting event I have ever seen.
This brings me on to one of the greatest experiences of my life, which took place at the end of August. I carried the Paralympic Torch through Watford at 3 0'clock in the morning! I was nominated through the Lloyds TSB Torchbearers campaign, who contacted charities for nominees. I was chosen by CP Sport, my nominated charity, along with 4 others to make up the CP Sport Torch Team. This was an incredible experience, never to be forgotten. Thank you so much Anna for nominating me.
The Torch Relay prompted the CP Sport Torch Zumbathon in August, again a huge success, resulting in a total of £460. Thank You to Anna and Marianne for your help.
In October I launched Zumba Gold, this takes place on Tuesday afternoons 2.30pm – 3.20pm. This is a lower impact, slower version aimed at the more mature adult and the “new to exercise” client. This is proving to be a really popular class and I love it. Come on give it a go!!
Children In Need took place on November 16th, I donated all the proceeds from the Friday class to the charity and we all dressed up and looked stupid!!! We made £326. Thank you Michelle and Nicky for helping on the night.
At the end of November I made the decision to merge the two Tuesday evening classes in to one 1 hour class, 6.30pm - 7.30pm, the Friday class is also for 1 hour 6pm – 7pm. I was forced to make this decision due to soaring costs of Licences, insurance and rent and the drop in numbers in the 7pm class, sorry if this caused any inconvenience.
We finish with the Christmas Party, all proceeds to CP Sport. Despite all the nasty bugs, some people were dropping like flies! we had a brilliant party, making £760…Fantastic!! I have a lot of thank yous here, here goes. Thanks to Mark on the disco, who was so poorly on the night, Mark Deaville and his staff for the bar, Peter and staff for the fab food, Sean And Kerrie Woodward for all my printing, The Cheadle and Tean Times, Jane for the beautiful cup cakes, everyone who donated raffle prizes, and last but not least my A Team, whom without I could not function: My husband Paul, my reception girls, Anna, Michelle, Nicky, Julie and Colleen and of course Liam, battery man!! THANK YOU ALL.
A special thank you to Dennis & Bina at DBN Web Design for keeping my website fantastic.
The biggest Thank you of all goes to YOU, my loyal class participants and clients; you keep giving the money for all these various causes, the grand total for the year being £3,565 YOU ARE BRILLIANT.
So 2013 is upon us, this is a big year for me; I have a significant birthday coming up in August so there is a party organised and money to be raised!!
Keep up the Zumba. Great atmosphere, great music, loyalty card, 2 class discount what more do you want.
Happy New Year to you all and thank you again for all your support, long may it continue!!
Much Love Maura xx
