Published on Thursday, 29 October 2026 at 10:49:42 AM
Donna has been an aquatic member for years, but recently switched to a Full Access membership. She’s had rheumatoid arthritis since she was 25 and does a lot of aqua fitness to help manage it. Now, she's just got a gym program to help take things up a notch.
Why did you start coming to Beatty Park?
So I came over from England because my husband's work. We thought at that point that it was just a four year contract. So I didn't want to swap all my qualifications over.
I needed entertaining; went to a few centres and Beatty Park which was lovely.
You know, everybody embraced you and you felt really welcome. It just felt like the place that I wanted to be.
So then I started coming and swimming to help my rheumatoid because times changed and it was like, yeah, water helps.
And then I got talking to aqua instructor Tanya; she wasn’t even in class at the time, she was just doing her thing.
And so I got talking to her and she said, “oh, you'd like to join my classes.” That was three and a half years ago.
Do you think more people should try Aqua Fitness?
Definitely. I would say that things like Deep Aqua, everybody should try it.
We had lifeguards come into the class a couple of years ago, and they couldn't believe how hard it was.
Deep Aqua running is so much harder. But then if you've got joint issues, it's great because you can still run. It gets all of the joints working.
Some of the classes are a bit easier, but they're great for to those that can't stretch or just starting back from rehab are pregnant.
So if you need to stretch and you're not ready for the gym, it’s perfect. And the instructors are just so good.
I do like the Aqua Zumba as well!
What made you decide to upgrade your membership?
The regular aqua fitness got me going so that I could get out of bed.
But then I got talking to Ricci and he said “come and join the gym” so I thought I’d give that a go.
After the first month in the gym, I feel it has helped with my rheumatoid arthritis. I can get up, I don't feel like I'm stiff in the morning and it's amazing.
I think the pool maintained me not gaining weight and is great for movement, but the gym has helped me lose weight and I feel a lot stronger, to the point where it's like, oh, these exercises are easy now.
Would you recommend people coming here that have something like rheumatoid?
Yeah, definitely. I have asthma, the water is great for breathing exercises.
There's an exercise that one of the instructors gave me and it's so good; I can breathe again.
It was a rock climber with a sculling arm and it opens all my airway and it just means I can breathe.
This burn off season I haven't had to have my inhaler. You know, it's very rarely I need it these days. Last winter, I was just totally reliant on it.
Apart from fitness, what else do you love about coming to Beatty Park?
I’ve made loads of friends here. I met lots in the sauna, then when I come on a Saturday morning, that's a whole group of different friends!
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