Editor

Since 23 December 2014, I have been referred by my practice nurse to the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme. I was accepted to undertake this Exercise Referral Scheme at Plascrug Leisure Centre, Aberystwyth.

The purpose of the instruction course is to enable me to embark on an exercise programme of safe and individualised exercise to improve my physical fitness. I am aware that activities should be designed to place a gradually increasing workload on the body and the rate of progression is related to exercise target heart rate, rate of perceived exertion or percentage of repetition maximum. All exercise programmes include a warm up and cool down, from my training I am confident that I was able to exercise safely effectively and correctly.

The main exercise components during my workout included: cardiovascular machines, aerobictype activities, circuits and resistance training. I understand that a programme of regular exercise has been shown to be beneficial. Some of these benefits include a decreased risk of heart disease, a decrease in body fat, a decrease in blood pressure, improvement in psychological function, improvement in aerobic fitness, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance.

Since 2 January 2015, until the start of the coronavirus epidemic, I attended the Exercise Referral Scheme with up to 40 participants at Plascrug Leisure Centre.

As Plascrug Leisure Centre is now closed, I have not had continuity of the Exercise Referral Scheme and will not, along with other participants in the scheme.

I, with others, cannot understand why Bodlondeb residential care home, which will have been closed for three years at the end of March 2021 and is still vacant, has not been not opened to support people in the coronavirus epidemic - leaving Plascrug Leisure Centre, purpose built as a leisure centre, to play a necessary service in so many activities it provided.

Aberystwyth and the surrounding area is not blessed with many locations or buildings to accommodate the health of those in my situation at the centre. Bodlondeb residential care home and Park Avenue Day Centre were fit-for-purpose buildings to support so many and could, should and would be still supporting us if they had not been abandoned by Ceredigion County Council Cabinet.

D A Thomas Llwyn yr Eos Southgate

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