A personal trainer who runs fitness classes for seniors has moved her workouts online in the wake of Covid-19 state-of-emergency, shelter-in-place regulations.

Frances Smith, the director of Actively Aging has started to record weekly videos of her class exercises and send them to her clients to help them keep active over the lockdown.

She said: “I wanted to still stay connected with them, obviously, so that they’d still remember me and after all of this, they’ll come back.

“They’re very appreciative as well. They’re so grateful and just so happy to see me.”

Ms Smith started the videos about two weeks ago, just after she suspended her classes for the safety of her clients.

She added that her first video, uploaded to YouTube and sent to her clients by e-mail, had received a rave response and sparked requests for more.

Ms Smith said that it was important for the elderly to keep on the move, despite being confined to home.

She explained: “Our bodies like habit and they like exercising, so the more they do, the more energy they have.

“There was a brief time where there weren’t any lessons and a few of them reached out saying their back was already hurting or they were feeling a little stiff and less motivated because they’re not getting out and about.”

She added: “It’s so essential for seniors to keep moving to prevent that stiffness when they wake up in the morning — they just need to include exercise in their routines.”

Ms Smith said that she had posted her videos on Actively Aging’s Facebook page as well as her own personal page.

She added that exposure on social media had spread her lessons as far as Britain.

Ms Smith said: “People I know have just been passing the videos on to seniors that they know.”

She hopes to continue the weekly videos until the crisis regulations ended.

Elaine Ritchie, 74, was a member of Ms Smith’s classes for about five weeks before they were suspended and likes how she can continue them online.

She said: “The last exercise we did focused on stretching and relaxation, which I found very helpful because I’ve accepted that these are stressful times, but my body hasn’t and I’d been getting stiff lately.”

Ms Ritchie, from Warwick, said: “I’m just very grateful for Frances putting these videos out. It helps me stay fit and upbeat and it’s a very kind thing that she’s doing.”

• The videos can be accessed on Facebook page ActivelyAging BDA, or by e-mail to activelyaging@gmail.com