“Don’t Quit, Get Fit” programme starts at Government House

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A health and wellness programme, “Don’t Quit, Get Fit” was officially launched at Government House this week.  The programme, which is organised by the Halo Foundation, embraces the commitment of H.E. Sir Rodney Williams.  Upon assuming office as Governor General in 2014, Sir Rodney — a medical doctor by profession —  pledged to continue to focus his efforts upon improving the health of others.

The lead group for the programme is the Government House staff, who are undertaking a fitness routine of 3 exercise classes per week facilitated by Sculpt Fit’s Garry Stevens. The group will also be encouraged to follow a healthy diet regime, and will benefit from presentations of key experts in areas of physical, mental and spiritual wellness,

According to Sir Rodney, “The pandemic has caused us to stay indoors, and to lead less active lives. This initiative is designed to get us up and running, and to encourage our people to pursue a more nimble and functional lifestyle — thereby ensuring better health and greater control of metabolic diseases.”  He went on to stress that “a person’s health should never be dependent upon their wealth, and so the Government House wellness drive is being provided to the staff at no cost.”

The public will be challenged to become involved, as each citizen needs to be concerned with his or her personal diet and exercise plan.  A motivational social media campaign will be executed, to inspire people to accept the challenge.  Thereafter, participants will be required to follow the competition rules in order to be entered for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Major sponsor of the initiative, the Antigua Commercial Bank, endorsed the undertaking. Marita Laurent, Marketing and Communications Manager said, “ACB is delighted to support the Halo Foundation with this timely Health and Wellness Initiative and we congratulate them for their ongoing work in Antigua and Barbuda.  As we all navigate our way through these challenging pandemic times, the programme will provide us with valuable information and guidance on how to take steps towards better health and improved well-being.”

Other sponsors include Bikes Plus, Velvet Touch, Champion Footwear and Veggie World.

President and Founder of the Halo Foundation, H.E. Lady Sandra Williams thanked all those involved in putting the programme together.  She noted, “At the end of the day, we are expecting improvement in the fitness levels of the staff at Government House, and the augmentation of the general conversation on the importance of proper diet, exercise and mental and spiritual well-being.  The challenge is an ongoing one, and the ultimate key to healthy living is self-discipline. We all need to take the plunge and pledge to improve. We owe it to ourselves.”