74-year-old Markyate fitness instructor holds final session after 36 years in Potten End

A fitness instructor from Markyate held her final Exercise to Music class last week after running the session for 36 years.

Sally Titchiner has had to step down as her two knee replacements has made it difficult for her to perform first aid and CPR on attendees, if needed.

Sally started teaching the fitness classes in 1986 when Dacorum Borough Council expanded its keep fit sessions to Potten End Village Hall following Anne Love’s request to establish a class in the area.

Anne, now 101 years old, still goes to the sessions which take place from 10am to noon on Thursdays.

The class features an hour's exercise music and the opportunity to get involved with other sports, with table tennis proving to be the most popular.

Sally explained how she felt leaving the fitness group after so long, saying: “It’s been part of my life. It is my life. So it's been very, very strange. I do feel a little bit useless.

“What I’ll miss is moving and also the camaraderie.”

She says that the Exercise to Music sessions have been something that has kept her going through the medical challenges she has faced.

Sally said: “I've always looked forward to doing it. It was because of class that, I knew that they were wanting me to go back. So it really pulled me up to try and get as well as I could as quickly as I could to get back to them.”