ONPAR speaks to the dancing queen who is getting local people into the groove for charity.
Suzy Clayton-Jones does not work 9 – 5 in an office. Her office is spread all over the Fylde Coast covering dance floors wherever she goes to teach her various fitness classes; her desk is a stage and her tools are the dance moves!
View the article on the Fylde Coast Second Edition ONPAR Magazine
A group fitness instructor with 27 years’ experience in the fitness world, is well-known to hundreds of people of all ages and abilities who have been inspired, motivated and taught by Suzy as she has reached them through her various fitness classes.
Perhaps most known for her energizing Zumba classes Suzy also teaches Pound Fit, Aqua, Aqua Zumba and Club fit. Her sessions are so much more than dance fitness, as Suzy’s classes aim to bring people together and as a result, they tackle isolation issues as new friendships are formed. She helps to build confidence in all her customers and feelings of wellbeing.
Community is key where Suzy’s Zumba is concerned as she has always favoured working with community groups rather than gyms and clubs. Originally from Yorkshire, Suzy spent many years in the big health clubs in London before moving to St Annes 17 years ago to specialise in Zumba. She has managed to build up a great community across the Fylde Coast delivering her Zumba programmes and built a fantastic network of like-minded instructors.
With the support of these community groups and her growing fitness family, Suzy has been inspired to utilize the spirit of Zumba to benefit charities, and has, for the last few years organised big fundraising fitness events such as Zumbathons, Aquathons, processions and displays at a variety of venues.
To date, her charity events have raised nearly £25,000 (£24,727.08). Every year, Suzy selects a charity to support and plans fun and themed fundraising events to raise as much as she can for them.
Suzy tells us “Each year I choose a charity to support and raise money and throughout that year, I try to organise events to raise as much as we can whilst making it enjoyable to all. In the past, I have helped Breast Cancer, Children of Chernobyl, Home Sat, the British Heart Foundation, Pear Tree School, Stars Disabled Swimming Club, Days of Sunshine, Car and Share, and the RNLI.”
2019 saw Trinity Hospice as Suzy’s chosen charity and through a lot of sweat, fun and fancy dress, she and her team have managed to raise over £5,000 for this deserving cause.
Suzy’s events are always so well attended so she has the perfect avenue in which to support local causes as well as teach the classes she loves. Her customers and there every week, they are loyal and true ‘Zumba-for-lifers’.
When we asked how she manages to attract so many people she tells us;
“It’s important to me to make it fun, and my teams of dancers love a theme and don’t mind getting dressed up, I think this helps to put the ‘party’ into fitness. There’s no job like it in the world, I wouldn’t change it for anything!”
Annual local events have become the highlight of Zumba Suzy’s working year when she and her team dance through various carnival and pride processions, they always take immense pride in what they do, and when the team win occasionally it’s the icing on the cake!
Many also enjoy watching the displays and processions and it’s so heart-warming to hear so many people compliment them on their performances. Suzy’s team come in all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. Dance is all-encompassing, everyone and anyone can join in.
So, watch this space for 2020, Suzy will soon be announcing her chosen charity of the year and will be continuing to inspire, invigorate and empower anyone and everyone to get into the Zumba groove!
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