Hildegarde Naughton T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health and Wellbeing, has officially opened Ireland’s first power-assisted exercise studio.
Minister Naughton joined local politicians, members of the Mayo Sports Partnership and the public at Castle Leisure Club in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, home of the inaugural Hello GoodLife Health Wellbeing Hub. The new facility will help the over-50s and those with impacted mobility issues to adopt a holistic approach to wellbeing using power-assisted exercise for physical, mental and social benefits. “I am really pleased to see this new facility officially open; ready to provide lots of opportunities for people to take part in physical activity, which is essential for maintaining our health and wellbeing. While this is true for all sectors of the population, it is especially important for older adults. When people come together to take part in an activity, they are benefiting from meeting and spending time with others, as well as from the activity itself. A hearty congratulations to all involved in getting this fantastic project over the line,” said Minister Naughton. Businesswoman Martina Calvey is the driving force behind Hello GoodLife Health Wellbeing, a company she co-founded with Seamus Davitt in 2023 to roll out Innerva’s wellness solution across Ireland.
Drawing inspiration from her own health challenges, which excluded her from mainstream gyms and fitness centres, Calvey is committed to making exercise more inclusive and accessible. As the exclusive distributor for Innerva’s equipment in Ireland, her vision is to enable and support the establishment of Hello GoodLife Health Wellbeing hubs across the county, hubs customised for the over 50s. “There are people in communities who are not exercising, not because they are lazy, but because a safe exercise option is not accessible to them. We need to make the offering more inclusive so everybody can benefit. With inclusive equipment, the new Hello GoodLife Health Wellbeing Hub removes barriers that might prevent people from exercising, such as age, joint pain, surgery history or muscle weakness,” says Calvey, a long-time health, wellbeing and school guidance counsellor.
The new facility at Castle Leisure Club comprises 12 pieces of Innerva’s power-assisted exercise equipment which can be completed in a 40-minute circuit providing a safe and progressive full body workout for people of all ages and abilities, including those with long-term health conditions and impacted mobility. David Heathcote, Innerva’s head of business development, said: “The response to Ireland’s first power-assisted exercise hub has been astonishing. Already 500 members have joined the new facility, proof that people, especially the growing over 50s demographic, are looking for inclusive health focused uplifting exercise experiences.”
