The sun was shining at Bridge Health and Wellbeing last week as the team celebrated its’ first birthday, after a memorable first 12 months. The unique wellness space on Bridge Street, Christchurch, complete with state-of-the-art gym facilities, provides high quality physiotherapy and rehabilitation services and expert Pilates and yoga classes.
Run by husband and wife team, Paul and Louise O’Connell, the business has certainly had an extraordinary first 12 months. Paul, an experienced physiotherapist, said “When Steve Hard, Bournemouth Football Club’s lead/first team physiotherapist, officially opened our doors at the end of July last year, we were excited about our new adventure. The first year was always going to be tough but we didn’t quite expect a global pandemic! We had to adapt to Zoom Pilates classes and online physiotherapy consultations to support our clients through lockdown. But it was lovely to reopen our doors for face-to-face appointments in time for our first anniversary.
The business celebrated with a ‘socially distanced’ walk through party, with regular clients and local contacts invited to the clinic to mark the occasion. Louise, a Body Control Pilates teacher said, “Clearly we couldn’t have the party that we had hoped for as we adhered to social distancing and safety, but it was still important to celebrate our milestone, reflect on everything we have achieved and thank everyone who has supported us this year.”
Paul is now keen to look forward to the next 12 months “Our clients have been so supportive throughout lockdown, but we are delighted to be reopening the studio on Tuesday 1st September for face-to-face Pilates and yoga classes as well as providing face-to-face physiotherapy appointments. We are also introducing two new instructors to the studio. Diane Briggs will be teaching Hatha Yoga and a new Women’s Yoga class which is designed specifically for women going through the perimenopause and menopause. Karen Stone will also be joining the team, teaching Hatha Yoga and Chi Kung, as well as offering Indian head massage appointments. Complete with Ella our sports massage therapist, at Bridge Health & Wellbeing we can deliver a range of services focussed on each client’s individual wellness goals.”
Bridge Health and Wellbeing are also looking forward to holding more wellness focussed events when possible, after a successful ‘Spring into Wellness’’ event earlier this year. With coronavirus likely to be still affecting our lives for months to come, focussing on wellness is more important than ever. The clinic has already seen an increase in demand for physio relating to lockdown injuries, either from sudden increases in exercise or from reductions in movement due to remote working or changes in usual exercise patterns.
Bridge Health & Wellbeing is a friendly, family-run clinic in the heart of Christchurch in Dorset dedicated to helping clients get better, build strength and feel happy and healthy in mind and body. To book your physiotherapy, sports massage appointment, Pilates or Yoga class, contact the team on 01202 473800 or visit http://www.bridgehw.com