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He’s a firm believer in the power of face-to- face connection, bringing people together not just through sports sessions, but also events such as ‘Boogie Nights’ – a funk, soul and disco party. “I’m a big lover of all music but especially funk, soul and disco. I grew up listening to it and just know it can bring people of all ages and backgrounds together into a very inclusive space,” he explains. “Really, my goal is to run nights where all people want to come into the space and have a boogie!” He’s had events at Stolen, The Portland Arms and the Grain & Hop Store so far, with further plans afoot, spanning different genres, live bands and more. The other prong of Serotonin is group exercise, with Will hosting men’s ‘football for wellbeing’ sessions at The Netherhall School, women’s sessions in Bottisham, three more locations on the way and ambitions for basketball, badminton and other classes in the new year. He believes that many of us have been scarred by experiences of physical education in school – sometimes leading to a lifetime aversion to exercise – and wants to undo that, using his knowledge of education and passion for fitness to inspire people from all walks of life to get active and reap the rewards that brings. “The sad reality is that there’s a real lack of money when it comes to supporting wellbeing. So we need to help facilitate these things – I’m fortunate, in that I can offer the football sessions for free. This takes away a barrier, but even when I do have to charge for things, I want these to present an opportunity to meet new people and give you something to look forward to… an inclusive, comfortable space. I believe in community and building a sense of togetherness. That is the long-term vision with Serotonin, a new version of a community centre, really!”
PARKRUN Parkrun is a weekly 5k run taking place on Saturday mornings at 9am. A growing global movement, events take place locally at Coldham’s Common, Eddington and the Wimpole Estate. They’re free and 100% volunteer-run. MOVE YOUR FRAME If you’d rather work out at home, try Frame. Based around the belief that getting fit shouldn’t feel like a chore, this London-based outfit puts the fun in fitness! Online classes include dance cardio, 80s aerobics and more. ROLLER DERBY Fancy trying a fun, full-contact game on roller skates? Check out Cambridge Rollerbillies, our city’s roller derby team. Founded in 2008, the group welcomes all ages, shapes and sizes to join in: they’ll teach you the skills you need to skate with confidence, then you can start playing the game itself – and the chaotic fun really begins! YOGA WITH ADRIENE Adriene Mishler, who has an online community of around 11 million subscribers, is on a mission to make wellbeing tools accessible. Her yoga videos are free, unpretentious and absolutely joyful.
SEROTONIN A school PE teacher by day, Will Brocklebank spends his free time persuading grown-ups to get active too, via his burgeoning wellbeing platform Serotonin. The idea for this multifaceted project first came about in 2019, beginning as a platform focused on fitness tips. Since then, it has grown to encompass a podcast, football sessions, club nights and more. “It expands off in all sorts of directions, but at its core it’s about supporting the wellbeing of as many people as possible through a variety of mediums,” summarises Will. “The initial focus was on the physical side, but – partly because of lockdowns and the toll that took – the mental health side of it has evolved a lot more. Lockdowns gave me time to think, too, about what I could do to support the community.” Will takes a broad view of wellbeing – shining a spotlight on feelgood stories and local champions he believes we can all learn from and be inspired by. On his podcast, for example, he’s chatted with charities, business figures, musicians and fitness professionals, united by the fact that ‘all of them have either done something amazing for their community, or they are a positive energy in whatever space they’re part of’.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JANUARY 2023 51
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