We meet new member and trundl tester Helena

Emma Chaplin
, 18 May 2022
We meet new member and trundl tester Helena
Helena (left) with Amanda & Jinny © Miles Davies

We met up with member Helena to find out how beginning to use the trundl app and joining Sussex Wildlife Trust has helped her health and wellbeing. 

Helena was born in London but has lived on the south coast for many years. She has been friends with Tess, one of the co-founders of the trundl app, for a long time. So when Hil and Tess wanted to trial it, she was pleased to help out. 

Helena explained that Covid and lockdown had reduced her confidence and made her feel isolated, so the idea of something that motivates you to get out, with some purpose, was really helpful. As was being part of a community. 

When Helena started using trundl, she had already been making some huge life transformations for a number of years, after discovering she was pre-diabetic. She radically changed her food habits, started going to the gym and using a personal trainer. Then, more recently, the trundl app helped get her out of the house and walking. "Whatever you do, it's taking the first step that's hardest". 

Helena used to have a stressful job working for a bank, latterly as a financial advisor, but after taking early retirement last year, she found she had more time to take care of herself. 

"After I joined Sussex Wildlife Trust, I started venturing out more. I'd lived for 15 years near the entrance to the downs and never even realised. It was good to see that, despite all the awfulness in the world, the earth was still spinning, birds were singing and having chicks, things were growing. The seasons changed and life continued on. As a child I wasn't especially interested in nature, but now I'm far more interested and I appreciate it. I'm lucky to live in such close proximity to the sea and the downs. It helps calm me and clear my head. People need places to go and get away from the world for a bit."

I ask why trundl works so well for her:

"There's no pressure, it's so accessible. And I like the fact that by using it, I'm supporting a good mixture of charities, including Sussex Wildlife Trust. Unlike some other fitness apps, trundl is gentler. There are no league tables. You can just go for a stroll and that's valued. We do good things collectively, as a group. After many years of working in a bank, I'd had enough of being measured. Another great thing about it is, it stops you having to keep hassling your friends for sponsorship. I got involved in a number of charitable walks and runs, and by doing this, I'm supporting the charities myself."

Become a member of Sussex Wildlife Trust here
Sign up to trundl here 

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