WHEN retired fitness instructor Dee Phesse went along to an Age UK Wiltshire fitness class, she had no idea that within months she’d be running one of her own.

It had been 20 years since the 70-year-old had taught professionally in Corsham and Chippenham, but when the people running the club in Devizes learnt about her background they persuaded her to start her own club in Melksham.

She is just the kind of volunteer the charity is aiming to recruit to its services, including the Fitness and Friendship and Wellbeing programmes.

It wants 100 new volunteers to sign up to a bid to tackle loneliness and isolation in Wiltshire.

Mrs Phesse, who lives in Melksham, started her fortnightly Fitness and Friendship group at Bowerhill Village Hall in the summer and already attracts up to 20 regular attendees.

The underlying aim is to get people who might otherwise never leave the house becoming more active, socialising and forming new friendships.

“It’s called Fitness and Friendship and the friendship is really important,” says Mrs Phesse.

There is plenty to keep the group busy.

She and fellow volunteer David Hummerston, 73, who runs the Devizes group, have the group stretching and moving gently to music before the members stop for tea.

“We try to keep people as mobile as possible by strengthening the muscles,” says Mrs Phesse.

”They have a little bit of a stretch and then we do some cardio-vascular work.”

She underwent specialist training organised by the charity before starting the group and has also been on a course to learn Tai Chi, which she uses to help the members to stay supple.

“It is just wonderful and everyone feels the benefit of it. It gives you a feeling of wellbeing,” she says.

Members Dianne Street, 75, and husband David, 81, have been regulars since the group began and say coming along has made them more active.

“We started coming because we realised we needed exercise and we’ve noticed that we’ve begun to do more walking because we can feel the improvement,” says Mrs Street.

“It’s a lovely group and we’ve made friends here. There’s a real sense of togetherness.”

Mr Hummerston has watched the group grow steadily and believes it meets a real need in the town.

“People want to come along and enjoy the company as much as the fitness side of it. I know the members enjoy it because they are still all here chatting when it is time to lock up.”

Mrs Phesse says she gets great satisfaction from seeing the progress being made by members. She said: “I do really enjoy the class and getting to know everyone and when you see it making a difference it is so rewarding.”

To find out more about volunteering for Age UK Wiltshire, call the charity on (01380) 727767, email volunteering@ageukwiltshire.org.uk, or go to ageukwiltshire.org.uk.