FANCY an outdoor workout? Then Wents Meadow in Presteigne might be the place to go after the town’s mayor unveiled some heavy-duty pieces of gym equipment which have been installed in the open space for people to use.

Creating an outdoor gym was the idea of Presteigne and Norton town clerk Tracey Price who gained support from several councillors in putting together a bid for funding that was eventually successful.

The equipment unveiled by town mayor Cllr Colin Kirkby on Saturday morning includes a twister and ski trainer, air walker, double ski trainer, rider, rower, cross trainer, double leg press and leg raise.

The equipment is of a particularly sturdy design to withstand the efforts of everyone from young children and the elderly to more vigorous keep-fit fanatics doing a workout. The aim is for it to be used in all weathers by people who would rather do their workouts outside and can’t afford or don’t want to go an indoor gym.

On the morning of the unveiling personal trainer Helen Bithell was on hand to demonstrate how the equipment can be used safely by all the users. Her ‘guinea pigs’ for the demonstration were town councillors who had turned up for the unveiling as well as a crowd of interested local residents.

Helen completed her training as a fitness instructor and personal trainer in 2010 with ‘future fit training’, running courses in Birmingham and Gloucester and then with the YMCA working in Worcester and Telford.

After a year away travelling, she then set up her own business running weekly personal training classes for clients in the Knighton and Presteigne area.

In his speech, Cllr Kikrby said: “Last year Tracey, our clerk, entered the town council into a competition run by Caloo to win thousands of pounds worth of outdoor gym equipment.

“We got to the last three but didn’t win. Undeterred Tracey put together a lottery bid to ‘Awards for All Wales’ for its maximum grant of £10,000 for some equipment – and got it! Thanks to the Big Lottery for this award. So Tracey and Cllr Pam Linnett then met a number of suppliers and organised a public vote in the library to choose which pieces of equipment to have.

“Pam and our County Cllr Bev then met the contractor to sort out where it should all go and Cllr Rory Bennett brought up all the equipment from his parents’ house where it had kindly been stored prior to installation. So a big thank you please to Tracey, Pam, Bev, Rory, Teddy and Ginny. I hope you will agree that this is a fantastic addition to Went’s Meadow.”

After Helen and the councillors’ exertions everyone then retired for a cup of tea and biscuits provided by Cllr Fiona Preece in the nearby scout hut.