Newry businesses pick up prestigious trophies at Health and Fitness Awards

A host of individuals and businesses in the Newry and Mourne area have picked up awards at the recent NI Health and Fitness Awards.

Lite Bite Protein Snacks picked up the award for Health and Fitness Retailer / Product of the Year, while Geraldine McAleenan, The Menopause Coach won the Best Small Studio Gym Award, alongside a Highly Commended for the Online Personal Trainer / Coach of the Year.

Kilkeel’s Oh So Lean range of nutritious meals took home Highly Commended in the Healthy Food Provider of the Year category, and Stephanie Clarke of SHEEFit in Warrenpoint, picked up the Breakthrough Personal Trainer award

Rounding up the area’s wins, Natasha Daryaie of The Gym Guru won Female Personal Trainer of the Year while she and her client, Rosie Duffy, were Highly Commended in the Client / Member Transformation of the Year category.

Over 400 gym owners, personal trainers and fitness professionals gathered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in South Belfast where business and individuals were awarded through various categories, including Health & Fitness Service of the Year, Breakthrough Personal Trainer, Gym Team of the Year and Community Engagement of the Year.

Billy Murray was awarded the top award of the night, Outstanding Contribution to the Industry, nominated by the judging panel who said; “for the past 30 years, Billy Murray has been providing a place of sanctuary for hundreds of people, young and old, throughout the community, which is more than a gym or a place to get fit. They’ve gained confidence and purpose, and have had the chance to learn and grow through Billy’s grit and determination.”

Other winners on the night included Lifestyle Fitness Ballymena for Best Large Gym, Portadown’s Body Fit Mums who picked up the Innovation Award, Charlotte McCully – a client at Female Fitness Studio in Lurgan picked up the Client/Member Transformation of the Year Award, while Young Lives Vs Cancer took home the Community Engagement award.

The judging panel was made up of Coach and online fitness expert Ian Young; diabetic muscle and fitness author, podcaster and educator, Phil Graham; SAS: Who Dares Wins winner and Fit ID co-founder, Connor Smyth; former Irish Rugby Union player, Stephen Ferris and best-selling author and fitness influencer Maeve Madden, who also took care of hosting duties alongside Q Radio’s Ibe Sesay.

In a nod to the industry’s tenacity in surviving the past two years, moving classes online and ensuring their gyms were safe according to regulations and restrictions, organisers brought the awards back with a special Covid Champion / Lockdown Legend Award, which was won by Bubba Ali of Bubba’s Project Gym in Armagh.