Congratulations to Mandy Elder, our Essex Activity Hero from Braintree. Read and be inspired by their story below: 

It would have been easy to let your club members get on with their own training during lockdown, but Mandy Elder from Braintree Walking Netball Club wanted to ensure her participants felt united and supported in ways to stay active. Mandy set up Braintree Walking Netball Club as she is a very keen netballer who has been a regular player for 50 years!

Braintree Walking Netball Club was set up in 2016 with the intention of making netball accessible to ladies who wanted to get back on a netball court, or for some, take to netball for the first time.

Mandy created challenges during lockdown, determined to keep her members fit and healthy and were aimed to keep team morale up. For example, 26 ladies from the squad walked a mile each on what would have been London Marathon day, to raise money for their local foodbank. To keep spirits up during the summer months, these challenges progressed to virtually walking across East Anglia and to and from each Super League netball club.

An individual who nominated Mandy, commented: “Mandy is awesome and is so supportive. She has helped me lose weight during the pandemic and has managed to get us all outside in the fresh air completing the challenges. Walking and running has now become my passion, thanks to her.”

The ladies have continued to keep in touch via WhatsApp and Mandy has helped create a truly supportive environment where they have helped one another during the really tough days.

Another individual, who nominated Mandy said: “Mandy brought us together when we had to stay far apart. We’ve made life-long friends through the club in which she has set up, and she’s determined to keep it going!”

Thank you Active Braintree Foundation for choosing this story!