SHAMEEM IS CROWNED 'MOST INSPIRATIONAL INSTRUCTOR' AT UK ZUMBA AWARDS

31st January 2011

Shameem Arnold, co-founder of Zumba Cumbria (now Moky Fit), has beaten off thousands of other Zumba Instructors throughout the UK to be awarded the title of 'Most Inspirational Instructor' at the UK Zumba Awards 2010. This Special Recognition Award has been given to Shameem by a panel of judges for her well-documented personal battle against illness which left her unable to walk, to her now encouraging thousands of Cumbrians to get fit, happy and healthy through Moky dance fitness classes, which she teaches at over 40 venues across Cumbria, South West Scotland and the North East.
 
The competition was first posted as a status update on Shameem's husband and business partner, Mat's facebook, where he had written a moving and very humble anecdote of Shameem's personal fight with the debilitating condition M.E. It mentioned how Shameem was left 'confined to a wheelchair' which led her to eventually having to give up her hard earned career as a Quality Engineer at Sellafield. Her recovery from M.E. has been well documented in local press and radio.

The nominations continued to flood in from fellow ardent Zumba Cumbria fans, each documenting their personal story of how Shameem's infectious energy and enthusiasm for life affected their own lives and inspired them to get fitter, happier and healthier, which led to Shameem's outstanding inspirational journey being recognised formally.

Ardent fan Keira Connor, a regular at the Egremont and Whitehaven Moky classes, says 'Shameem has helped me regain my confidence, self esteem and I've even managed to get back in to my size 10 shorts (woohoo!). I was shocked when I heard about Shameem's long struggle with M.E. as she is always so positive, bubbly and very energetic, it was hard to imagine her ever being anything else. Shameem is an inspiration to people everywhere, she's made me realise that if you work hard and stay positive you can achieve your dreams.'
Suzanne Lane, regular at the Seaton and Workington Moky classes, says: 'What can I say? Shameem is not just a fantastic instructor, she is also an amazing, hardworking and truly inspirational woman. The success of her company speaks for itself. Every week on the Moky facebook fan page, there are hundreds of women begging for more and more classes and every week it seems more classes are delivered. Shameem works incredibly hard behind the scenes, creating new routines, inspiring and training her instructors, recruiting new instructors, arranging new classes and then she shows up with a huge smile at different classes all around the county, constantly delivering her special Shameem magic, inspiring her clients and her instructors. She is the absolute proof that you can achieve anything you want.'

To look at Shameem today, teaching 2 hours of classes every day, as well as working over 8 hours in the Moky office, you would not believe it was the same woman who just 2 years ago was unable to walk up stairs without assistance. Her road to recovery began when she found Zumba while surfing the web; although she couldn't participate fully due to the lingering fatigue M.E. had left, her passion and love for dance was ignited and it was her strength of character and determination which positively radiates out when you meet her that drove her on to succeed.

Mat says: 'In many ways it was Shameem's realisation during her illness that she might never recover that drives her achievements now. It is her zest for life and desire to live every day as if it were her last that sets her apart from all the others'

On the back of this award, Shameem has been invited to perform on stage in front of 5000 people at the UK's largest outdoor Zumbathon, taking place in Twickenham on June 11th. The event is being held to raise money for two charities - the British Heart Foundation and Shooting Star Children's Hospice, which provides respite care for terminally ill children.

There are already at least 30 people accompanying Shameem on this journey, including 15 of the Moky instructors and numerous customers. Shameem says 'It's an honour to be nominated for this prestigious award, let alone win.  I am proud to be able to go to London to represent Cumbria at this fantastic occasion after the terrible events of the past 12 months. The Cumbrian spirit has inspired me to keep going when things get tough, and it's great to be able to provide inspiration for others in this area and now hopefully across the UK.'