Wigan man's fury at lack of lockdown exercise options for disabled people

Shaun Fallows, from Worsley Hall, strongly criticised the Government for doing nothing to help people who cannot do outdoor exercise such as walking, jogging or cycling.
Shaun FallowsShaun Fallows
Shaun Fallows

Mr Fallows, who has cerebral palsy, worked out at the gym at Robin Park six days a week prior to the national shutdowns due to the coronavirus and is calling for a scheme to be set up so those with no alternative for keeping fit can visit a leisure centre at a set time.

He said he was particularly angry after hearing home secretary Priti Patel wax lyrical about the benefits of exercise on national TV and was all the more enraged as he has previously lobbied politicians on the exact same issue during previous lockdowns.

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Mr Fallows, 37, said: “It feels a bit like we’re back to square one.

“I understand how perilous the situation is and I don’t want to sound disrespectful to anyone who is in hospital or dying, but able-bodied people can walk and cycle round so why shouldn’t I be allowed to have that option?

“All it would take would be a kind of exemption pass.

“A gym could open for a couple of hours a day and those who can’t exercise outdoor could come to use it.

“Priti Patel said exercise is essential for mental health, so why is the Government excluding me?

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“It’s just so frustrating. If this was being done to able-bodied people there would be an uproar.

“It feels like the Government thinks that if able-bodied people are ok then nothing else matters, but disabled people do matter.

“I can understand the Government missing this as an oversight once but we’ve now had three lockdowns.

“I think that tells you what they think of disabled people.

“It’s very disappointing.”

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Mr Fallows said he believed it would be possible for gyms to open safely to allow disabled people in for their regular exercise as numbers would be limited along with time slots.

As he has done in previous lockdowns, Mr Fallows is trying to spread the word about the issue using social media and gain the attention of politicians.

He also said he was worried about the mental health effects of the Covid-19 crisis and said there would be long-term effects for people who had suddenly become unable to exercise and keep in shape.

He said: “I’ve been training for 20 years and you build up something you are proud of.

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“Why should I lose that because the Government can’t organise a plan?”

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