Farewell to Newmarket’s Angela, known to so many in the town as the keep-fit lady

Angela French, known to generations of Newmarket residents, as the keep-fit lady, has died at the age of 87.

For more than three decades, Angela worked at the New Astley Club, now The Racing Centre, where she not only ran her regular keep fit classes, including for seniors and for those using wheelchairs, but also organised indoor bowling, mainly for ex-stud and stable staff.

Ron Wallwork, who ran the club in Fred archer Way for many years, said: “Angela came on board at the New Astley in 1984. Not only did she run her popular fitness classes but she was a great asset to the running of the club. Wherever she was needed, whether it was behind the bar, doing some cleaning if a cleaner was off sick or generally helping out she would get stuck in.

“She was so dependable and reliable and she liked to do things properly.”

Born in Newmarket, Angela was brought up with her sister Sonia in Croft Road. She joined the Women’s Royal Air Force. She suffered from rheumatic fever which cut short her military career but did not hold her back. As a young woman she excelled in athletics and swimming, winning many trophies. Later she took up badminton both playing and teaching with the county squad. She retained a passion for healthy living all her life.

Angela also taught PE at Exning Primary School before concentrating on the keep fit classes she ran at Foley House and the New Astley Club, later the Racing Centre. She continued until she was 82 when new regulations required anyone teaching classes to be on the Register of Exercise Professionals and that Angela was no longer able to run her classes without supervision because of insurance regulations.

“I know things have to change and there are new rules and regulations which have to be sorted out but I have made lots of friends and I shall miss it,” Angela told the Journal at the time.

She and her husband Gordon, who died 12 years ago, lived in the same flat in Windsor Road for 60 years and it was only in October last year that Angela was moved to The Martins care home in Bury St Edmunds suffering from dementia. She died there on January 15.

Her niece, Jenette Lee, said her proudest possession remained the trophy she received as runner-up in the Rory MacDonald community award recognising her commitment to the Racing Centre. “It was by her bed and she always remembered what it was for and our trip to the ceremony in London when she got it,” she said.

There will be no funeral service in line with Angela’s wish that her body be donated for medical research.