WOMEN who have shunned the gym due to a lack of confidence are now enjoying pumping iron and pounding out the miles thanks to a local business owner.

Tors Perkins set up Tors Total Fitness women-only gym based at Aspire Fitness and Wellbeing on Silk Mills Road, Taunton, in November 2021.

Since then it has gone from strength to strength and Tors refers to her 90 members as "a community".

"Lots of women only want to go to a gym with other women and female instructors," said Tors, who plays hockey for Taunton Vale.

Somerset County Gazette:

"I used to work for a women-only fitness company and got the idea on the back of that.

"Women struggle with confidence in their bodies.

"They come here because the female-only environment helps their confidence."

Members, who range in age from teenagers up to those in their 80s, feel more comfortable with women instructors and being personally weighed and measured by a woman rather than a man, added Tors.

She said: "We have resistance machines specially designed for women that allow you to work as an individual. You create your own workout.

"We also run female orientated classes, including Zumba, and legs, bums and tums.

"People have different levels of fitness and we work with individuals.

"We're a community and we all help each other. I couldn't ask for a better membership. They meet up here on Saturday mornings for a workout together."

Tors gave up alcohol throughout a 'dry' January, during which many members dip into their pockets to help her raise £655 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of her partner's grandfather Roger Lock, who died aged 79 last year.

For further details about Tors Total Fitness, contact Tors on 07920 227817.