A Parkinson’s rowing group has received funding to take their indoor activities out onto the water.
Rock ‘n’ Row for Parkinson’s Greenwich has received support from Active Thames to go out onto the River Lea monthly, beginning this April.
The group was formed in 2022 and gives people living with Parkinson’s the opportunity to row as a team, coached by professionals and experts trained in delivering exercise classes for people with the disease.
Retired nurse and Rock ‘n’ Row member since 2023, Suzanne Pitts, 60, said: “It’s gone from great to magnificent.”
Exercise is essential for managing the symptoms of Parkinson’s, and rowing has improved Pitts’ strength and flexibility.
She said: “I can now get down on my hands and knees and get back up again without squealing, which is wonderful.”
The condition is more likely to affect men over 50, but Pitts did not fit this profile.
She was diagnosed in her 40s, and Rock ‘n’ Row fit the bill in her desire to find something to keep her active
Exercise leader Louise Barnett said: “People often, perhaps, limit themselves in terms of what they feel they could do, and people around them, health professionals, may also limit what is possible.
“So, I think it’s about giving us the opportunity to broaden horizons, to go on an adventure.”
The group’s motto is ‘With Parkinson’s you can Rock ‘n’ Row’.
Barnett spoke fondly of the welcome and support from the rowing community, with experienced British rowing coaches volunteering to teach.
Rock ‘n’ Row supports not only members in managing the physical symptoms, but also their mental health.
Parkinson’s UK cites anxiety and depression as the most common mental health issues amongst people living with the disease.
Barnett said: “One of the guys after the last session said ‘I forgot I had Parkinson’s’.”
The group meets on alternate Fridays at the Ahoy Centre in Deptford, and is free and open to people of all abilities living with Parkinson’s.
Care partners are welcome too.
For more information, visit Parkinson’s UK.
All picture credits: Louise Barnett
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