‘Move with Mary’ to keep spirits high during lockdown

The campaign is being spearheaded by one of Northern Ireland’s greatest adverts for exercising and healthy living post-retirement – Lady Mary Peters.

The former Olympic gold medallist, who now acts as an ambassador for Age NI, recorded a series of exercise videos for older people during the first Covid lockdown.

Called ‘Move with Mary,’ the videos aimed to encourage people to experience the uplifting effect of regular exercise.

“Physical exercise is not just about your body, it’s about keeping your mental spirits good,” Lady Peters said.

“It stimulates your brain and it makes you think more about what you’re doing every day.

“It’s very easy to sit in a chair and nod off, but if you’re exercising, you’re stimulated, you’re uplifted, you walk tall, you breathe deeply and you exercise all your limbs.

“I genuinely mean that it can be life-saving for older people to keep moving every day.”

Lady Peters added: “We must look up and outwards, rather than down and inwards at this time of year to stay positive. The videos that we did with Age NI... were simple enough for everybody to be able to do, even if you don’t move from your own home.

“Please, please keep moving and keep your spirits and health high.”

The first in the series of exercise videos is available here