A PT is curing boredom with workouts to bring the community together (RAW)

An inspiring personal trainer is curing lockdown boredom with neighbourhood workouts designed to lift spirits and bring her community together. Irma Beruckaite, 39, runs three sessions a week with as many as 16 attendees, all stood two metres apart on the street or on their driveway.The group barely knew each other's names before but are now planning a street party for when lockdown is lifted.Irma said: "It makes me so happy.

It is so much fun and nice to get together."It is something to give back to the community and I know I am doing something really good for the ladies."Irma usually is a freelance personal trainer and rents space in Manor Gym branches across central London, which she cannot now do due to lockdown.Her 30-45 minute street classes involve a warm up activity first then full body opening exercises to dance music - including upper and lower body exercises and abs.They end with a cool down and stretching.They even use household goods such as bean cans for tricep and bicep exercises, and each lady has a chair for balance.Irma said some will stay and chat for a little bit after each session, maintaining their distance, or ask advice how to improve they doctors given physio exercise and more knowledge.Some are even 'happy to say they can feel their bum is getting tighter!' Some participants, aged between 46 and 78, have issues such as asthma, high blood pressure and hip/knee replacements which Irma takes into account while others alone.The idea came after a neighbour who knew she was a personal trainer asked if she would consider running classes. "I thought I would give it a go," she said.

"I thought it was a nice thing to do for my community."She ran the first class on the first week of lockdown and now wants to keep them going beyond lockdown in an effort to connect the street's estimated 70 households. She has lived in her rented Arnos Grove house in North London for more than 16 years but did not know all her neighbours.Her sessions hope to keep the street active while curing the 'slow killer' of loneliness.She said: "Being alone you have nobody to bounce off, and having nobody to talk to will have massive effect on any person's mental health - young or old. "So for ladies just to get out of home is something exciting to do, something to look forward to."It makes them keep going , getting ready , keeps focus not to miss the next session and I guess they look forward to having laughter and fun."A little bit of exercise is the best healer in the world in these uncertain times."Irma's father sadly died by suicide when she was just 11 and her brother also took his life four years ago.Growing up quickly to provide for the family, she found exercise made her happy and it is her mission to help others improve their mental health through fitness too."For me exercise is one of those things - it just makes you happy.

You have so much energy after, you can accomplish anything you want," she said. "I know for sure fitness helps to get stronger mentally and physically and keeps us more positive."She also hopes that 'these unfortunate circumstances' of coronavirus will lead to communities becoming 'closer.'"This covid virus I think will make us become more alive, more considerate and more friendly.

It is nice to have this kind of community," she added.Irma grew up in a small Lithuanian community and her parents were both farmers.Twice a year, before Easter and Autumn, the community would get together to clean the area around the lake and houses before having food , music and a party to celebrate their work.It was a shock for her then when she moved to London in 2004 to find the communities a lot more isolated, and neighbourhoods not knowing who lived next door. "London was a shock.

It is completely different living here for so many years and you won't even say hi to neighbours."The virus has made people slow down.

Nobody has the time in London for anybody."

An inspiring personal trainer is curing lockdown boredom with neighbourhood workouts designed to lift spirits and bring her community together.

Irma Beruckaite, 39, runs three sessions a week with as many as 16 attendees, all stood two metres apart on the street or on their driveway.The group barely knew each other's names before but are now planning a street party for when lockdown is lifted.Irma said: "It makes me so happy.

It is so much fun and nice to get together."It is something to give back to the community and I know I am doing something really good for the ladies."Irma usually is a freelance personal trainer and rents space in Manor Gym branches across central London, which she cannot now do due to lockdown.Her 30-45 minute street classes involve a warm up activity first then full body opening exercises to dance music - including upper and lower body exercises and abs.They end with a cool down and stretching.They even use household goods such as bean cans for tricep and bicep exercises, and each lady has a chair for balance.Irma said some will stay and chat for a little bit after each session, maintaining their distance, or ask advice how to improve they doctors given physio exercise and more knowledge.Some are even 'happy to say they can feel their bum is getting tighter!'

Some participants, aged between 46 and 78, have issues such as asthma, high blood pressure and hip/knee replacements which Irma takes into account while others alone.The idea came after a neighbour who knew she was a personal trainer asked if she would consider running classes.

"I thought I would give it a go," she said.

"I thought it was a nice thing to do for my community."She ran the first class on the first week of lockdown and now wants to keep them going beyond lockdown in an effort to connect the street's estimated 70 households.

She has lived in her rented Arnos Grove house in North London for more than 16 years but did not know all her neighbours.Her sessions hope to keep the street active while curing the 'slow killer' of loneliness.She said: "Being alone you have nobody to bounce off, and having nobody to talk to will have massive effect on any person's mental health - young or old.

"So for ladies just to get out of home is something exciting to do, something to look forward to."It makes them keep going , getting ready , keeps focus not to miss the next session and I guess they look forward to having laughter and fun."A little bit of exercise is the best healer in the world in these uncertain times."Irma's father sadly died by suicide when she was just 11 and her brother also took his life four years ago.Growing up quickly to provide for the family, she found exercise made her happy and it is her mission to help others improve their mental health through fitness too."For me exercise is one of those things - it just makes you happy.

You have so much energy after, you can accomplish anything you want," she said.

"I know for sure fitness helps to get stronger mentally and physically and keeps us more positive."She also hopes that 'these unfortunate circumstances' of coronavirus will lead to communities becoming 'closer.'"This covid virus I think will make us become more alive, more considerate and more friendly.

It is nice to have this kind of community," she added.Irma grew up in a small Lithuanian community and her parents were both farmers.Twice a year, before Easter and Autumn, the community would get together to clean the area around the lake and houses before having food , music and a party to celebrate their work.It was a shock for her then when she moved to London in 2004 to find the communities a lot more isolated, and neighbourhoods not knowing who lived next door.

"London was a shock.

It is completely different living here for so many years and you won't even say hi to neighbours."The virus has made people slow down.

Nobody has the time in London for anybody."