A veteran exercise instructor has won a Covid-19 Heroes Award after her sessions with vulnerable people isolated at home by the pandemic took off on Zoom.

Helen Beveridge, 60, started running exercise classes 20 years ago after her three sons started school and she wanted a job she could do during school hours.

She was a lifelong sports lover - and the hobby became a new career.

ALSO READ: Could Hollywood come to Windsor & Maidenhead?

She became famous at Windsor Leisure Centre and the Magnet Centre at Maidenhead for the way she designed her exercises to make them equally suitable for people with health issues.

She said: "One 86-year-old lady with a prosthetic leg used to come to me at Maidenhead. I worked with ladies who had had hip and knee replacements."

Then came the lockdown.

ALSO READ: Judi Dench shares her memories with Windsor drama teacher

But Helen's three sons David, Alastair and Nicholas came to the rescue.

She said: "They taught me about Zoom and I realised that what I had been doing on stage I could also do in peoples' homes.

"It spread through word of mouth. Now I do the classes for an hour seven days a week at 9am and I think I will continue them even when I can start working at the leisure centres again."

Maidenhead Rotary Club awarded her its Covid award for heroes this year.

One of her clients Juan Caldwerwood said: "She helps us going and keeps us fit and sane. Some of us are currently undergoing cancer treatment, some of us who have other illness. Helen tailors her exercises so that we can keep fit and keep going and keep smiling.

"She gives us at least one joke before the start of her zoom exercise class to get us moving again."

Glasgow born Helen, of Maidenhead Court Park near Boulters Lock, has lived in Maidenhead over 41 years and worked as a sales and marketing manager for a pharmaceutical company before she and husband Ian had their three boys.

It costs £25 month to attend as many of her Zoom classes as you like. Contact her on Helenbeveridge2@gmail.com or 07775 604845.