THREE hardworking businesses and fitness gurus have landed an award for their contribution to health and wellbeing across Essex.

From February to April, the Gazette has been running the Health and Wellbeing awards for 2022.

The awards have seen our readers nominate and vote for the gyms and fitness instructors they feel deserve recognition.

The aim of the awards was to recognise and celebrate the wide range of activities which empower communities and individuals.

Now, after two months of voting, we can reveal the winners in the three categories.

These are Best Gym, Best Class Instructor and Best Personal Trainer.

First up is the winner of Best Class Instructor with personal trainer David Read scooping first place.

David is still doing what he loves in his 60s and is based in Colchester.

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He said: “I first started training at 12-years-old and now I'm in my 60s and still love my job.

“It was amazing to win this award and my classes are getting very busy now.

“I'm looking forward taking my business to the next level. And remember age is just a number.”

Also scooping an award was Donna Hoy who has won Best Personal Trainer.

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She said: “It was totally unexpected, I was grateful to been nominated as Personal Trainer of the Year but to win it was even better.

“I want to thank my management team, work colleagues but importantly the general public who voted for me."

Lastly, the award for Best Gym was won by Clacton-based gym GymFit.

GymFit’s owner Bradley Favell was absolutely thrilled to be named the best gym.

The 32-year-old said: “Obviously we had a period of uncertainty when they closed us through Covid but things have started go really well again and we’ve seen familiar faces return as well as few new faces too.

“It has been a really difficult two years, so it is good to know people value our hard work because people could have decided not to return.

“Of course, we wanted to win, as a gym we are competitive, but it is better because we know there is strong opposition.”