We are Active Families North East!

Hi I'm Kelly and I've been working in the fitness industry for 17 years. I had just given birth to my first child when I had the idea to create Active Families and got Amy and Ashleigh on board to help me direct the company together as we all have our strengths which bring something different. I've got a bunch of qualifications that range in working with people of all ages which is how we decided to create Active Families and make exercise available for every age and size. Starting at the age of 19 I first received my first qualifications in Exercise to Music and L3 Gym which lead me on to be be able to achieve lot's of certifications including L2 Children's Fitness L3 Nutrition, L3 Pre/Post Natal, L3 Working with Older Adults and L3 GP Referral.  These all accompany my degree in Sport & Exercise Science. I've been teaching fitness classes for years but since having my first child I realised there wasn't much out there for mums with new babies/young children so this is how we first formed our Adult & Child sessions which are really well attended as we offer something that's not widely available. From there we evolved our classes as we realised there was funding available for older adults with social isolation problems and this is now our biggest area of expertise. We help people of all ages and it's not just with exercising and feeling fit but helping them feel mentally strong and healthy! I love helping others and creating positive changes in the local community which is why just before and throughout lockdown I completed a course with the Can Do Hub called Ability not Disability and also became a young mental health first aider . We address issues on the ground, supporting communities and empowering people.  I couldn't imagine doing any other job now!

Hi I'm Amy and I've worked in fitness for over 5 years. Previously, I worked as a creative designer for 15 years working mostly in print and publishing. A love of fitness, being active and wanting a healthier lifestyle drove my passion and commitment to work with and help members of the community to do the same. I'm a fully qualified, experienced gym and group exercise instructor, personal trainer and swimming teacher, having taught a wide variety of classes across the community. Supplementary to this, I have studied to develop specialist training and qualifications in the fields of pre & post natal fitness and exercise for older adults. My belief is that, being active and taking part in exercise isn't about how good, how fast or how strong you are, its about wanting to take part and enjoy feeling fitter and healthier. Exercising and being active together, and wanting to keep going is something I advocate and is therefore fundamental to the Active Families beliefs. In my spare time I enjoy running, swimming and going to the gym. I keep active with my family, understanding that being a time together is more productive, rewarding and enjoyable! 

Hi I'm Ashleigh and I'm one of the Directors for Active Families NE! I think it's a rare thing to enjoy your job every single day but I'm pleased to say I genuinely do. We work with all ages and abilities and that is an amazing thing to be able to do. We aim to make people healthier and happier and I believe that myself and the rest of the team strive to do that to the best of our ability every day. From Buggy Bootcamp to Active Forever I think we have created programmes for every body. I first jumped into the fitness world in 2012 when I was physically dragged to a Zumba Fitness class by a friend. I had always been a dancer but the ability to drive had made me less active and I had put on a bit of weight. Long story short, I loved Zumba so much that 5 months later I trained and became and instructor. The rest is history. Since then I got myself licensed to teach a variety of classes, completed my Level 2 Exercise To Music qualification and together me and the girls created Active Families NE. This has allowed us to work with a wider range of ages and abilities and recently I completed my Level 3 Exercise with Older Adults qualification and currently in the middle of my Level 3 Pre/Post Natal qualification also. 2020 brought us Covid-19 and it forced us to do things differently but we have managed to cope and adjust to the new normal. I can't wait to see what 2021 has in store for us.

Hi I'm Lauren and I have been working for Active Families NE alongside Kelly, Ashleigh and Amy from the very start. I may be the short one but I'm definitely not the quiet one, I love to make people smile and laugh all day long which makes my job so easy. I found my passion for fitness when I was very young. I went through a hard time with eating disorders and anorexia before I found out the healthier way to train and have a healthy diet...so here I am happy, healthy and fit! I have my Level 2 ETM qualification and my Level 3 in designing exercise programmes for older adults. I'm also trained in kids Yoga, Boogie Bounce, Clubbercise, Hiitstep and currently working on my adults and kids Boxercise! My job is an amazing job, I love the variety we bring everyone around us...from babies all the way up to adults over and above 60! We make people feel happy, healthier and brighter just by doing our jobs which sometimes doesn't feel like a job. It's just that great!

Hi I'm Louise and I've been working with Active Families for 3 years delivering Yoga sessions to their Active Forever clients. I've been a Yoga instructor for 4 years and jumped at the chance to be able to introduce yoga and meditation to the lovely members of this group. I love working with Active Families because it is so friendly, supportive and inclusive. Everyone is welcome and there is a lovely energy and team spirit. I love the fact that all age groups are catered for and I particularly enjoy working within the Active Forever community who have began their yoga journey later on in life. They are absolutely incredible and have a go at everything.