Man About Town

Published in Go Local Sandbach - January 2025

By Greg Hall

Happy New Year, fellow Sandbachians.

Now that Christmas is done and dusted for another year, many people turn their attention to making resolutions for the coming twelve months, even though the vast majority fail to see them through.

The most common resolutions naturally focus on improving your life, whether that be in terms of health, wealth, or making some other changes for the better. Exercise more, lose some weight, quit smoking, take on a new hobby, spend less, see friends and family more regularly… the list goes on. New Year’s resolutions are easy to make but can be very difficult to stick to. If you’re still persevering come Easter, you’re doing well.

If you are inclined to kick start 2025 on a quest for physical perfection, our town is blessed with different gyms to suit most needs and budgets, not to mention some lovely areas to simply go for a walk or run. I say this as someone who used to run regularly (before my knees and hips decided they hated me) but also very reluctantly, because although I wasn’t the worst runner in the world, I was certainly one of the most unenthusiastic. Running, as far as I am concerned, is boring, exhausting, and should only be embarked upon when being chased. But, if you absolutely must run, you could do a lot worse than the streets, canal tow paths and country lanes of picturesque Sandbach.

Alternatively, you might vow to eat healthier or go on a diet. After all, most of us over indulge throughout the previous month, and if you haven’t spent Christmas Day working through a big tub of chocolates while watching The Great Escape I’d go so far as to argue you’re not Christmassing properly, but even small changes to what you eat can make a huge difference. Again, Sandbach is blessed with all manner of healthier options, whether that’s dining out or buying fresh groceries and health supplements.

Help is also on hand for those wanting to quit smoking, drinking or both. Ashfields Primary Care Centre can offer advice, and there are various support groups locally. It’ll also save you money.

Finally, why not volunteer somewhere? There are dozens of charity shops and local groups looking for support, and if you have the time to spare, plus the inclination to help others, it can be an extremely rewarding experience.

Just make sure your resolutions are achievable and realistic. There’s no point challenging yourself to stick to a regime you have no chance of completing. And, if you don’t manage to last twelve months, don’t beat yourself up about it.

There’s always next year. It’ll be here before we know it!

All information accurate as of January 2025.