Now that the evenings are getting longer, our thoughts are turning to spending more time outdoors, possibly with an aim to getting fit.

Business Argus has been asking local business people what they do to keep fit and if they have a policy to help their staff keep fit...

Lindsay Tasker, associate solicitor at Watkins & Gunn Solicitors

As an employer, Watkins & Gunn place an emphasis on their employees’ health and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Part of this is by encouraging staff to keep fit and supporting them to take part in challenges that give them a goal to work towards. I, for example, have never been much of a runner but have recently started with a target of taking part in the Cardiff 10k in September. I’m hoping I can get a Watkins & Gunn team together to also take part. The firm has previously arranged fitness sessions at the local leisure centre, and one of the staff benefits is half price gym membership at Virgin Active. A Healthy Living committee has been established to encourage all staff to keep a healthy lifestyle, regardless of their fitness ability.

Haydn Thomas, of Hutchings & Thomas Chartered Surveyors

We are not Orwellian in our approach to staff health and fitness, however both on a personal and business level do take interest in the health of our staff. Suffice to say, being on the 7th floor of Clarence House we do encourage staff to take the stairs at least once a day.

Gerald Davies, executive chairman, Kymin Group, Newport

My main motivation for keeping fit is to be well enough, both mentally and physically, to look after my clients and perform my duties as chairman of the Kymin Group. I start each day at 6.30am at a local gym, where I swim 40 lengths of a 20 metre pool (which is about half a mile). This sets me up for the day. I also enjoy walking when we go to our cottage in Tenby. My colleagues, Robin and Chris, are also members of the gym but they are younger than me, so tend to use the various exercise equipment, which I do not. There is no doubt that we are all fitter and better able to cope with the day-to day tasks as a result of our fitness programme.

Ashley Harkus, managing partner, Everett Tomlin Lloyd and Pratt Solicitors

Our staff are a pretty healthy bunch. We offer the cycle to work scheme and corporate membership of local gyms. We sponsor local football and netball teams in Pontypool that staff are involved in. A number of our lawyers entered an endurance fitness event last year and we have cheered on our teams in the Three Peaks Challenge. We’ve made sure that most of them get a decent walk every day by moving our office to Gold Tops so we’re further away from Greggs. I have an intensive fitness regime involving rugby (watching) and occasionally drifting in the lazy river at Cardiff International Pool.

Peter Lewis, managing director, Industrial Automation and Control Ltd

Having always enjoyed sports and exercise, I am very keen to encourage the same within the company. At IAC, we have our own gym, and last year we started a cycling campaign to raise cash for Cancer Research. Training was organised almost every evening of the week once the clock went forward, and we were inundated with people who wanted to participate. We have seen most of these buy bikes, investing thousands in lycra and equipment. And almost to a man (and woman) they have enjoyed the simple experience of riding in the fresh air. This was so successful internally, that we are doing another one this year, only this time over three days, from Newport to Anglesey. Our good cause this year is the British Heart Foundation, and we have also had interest from outside the company. Our solicitors are sending a couple of representatives. Richard Ellis has taken the bait and will be joined by several more from Ellis Lloyd Jones. Our solicitor, Dennis Morgan is coming.

They were enticed by the feedback from last year and the good time everyone had on the trip. But, not only that, the whole feeling of wellbeing within IAC was very noticeable. We have loads of very sporty people, plus a load of guys who could do with getting fit. Everyone was incredibly encouraging and patient, and we now have a group of people new to cycling who can’t get enough of it.