A BARRY resident, who was one of the first to launch Zumba in the UK, has picked up a prestigious national fitness award.

Former Bryn Hafren pupil, now entrepreneur, Helen Tite, formerly McTavish, has just celebrated another success with her health and fitness business in Falmouth, Cornwall.

Helen, daughter of John and Chris McTavish, of Highlight Park, Barry, runs a health club in the heart of Falmouth employing 13 staff and has won 2013 United Kingdom National Fitness Awards Gym Team of The Year.

Helen moved to the area to the area to study graphic design, aged 18, but changed careers to become an exercise instructor.

Exercise therapist and personal trainer, Helen runs businesses within her umbrella company The Core Fitness and Wellbeing Centre.

The mum-of-two has devoted time to working with patients with long-term conditions, cancer, and heart disease and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.

Recognising club memberships are the first things to go when people are being squeezed by financial hardships, Helen evolved to focus on health and stress.

A global corporation then commissioned Helen and her team to spread the wellbeing message in the copper belt in Zambia.

Now a business mentor and High Street Champion director with Falmouth’s’ Business District, she has also won the Excellence in Business Awards 2014 Winner for Outstanding Commitment to Training for small business.

She said: “2014 brings further change as we prepare to move premises and expand adding a health café into our business. We will be launching low budget Elite Training Academy in the spring, two more visits in Africa are scheduled and who knows?”

My team will be going through growth this year as we prepare for more diversity.

“It so important that the core team continue to evolve and develop in their own skills to better the business.

“I am blessed and honoured to have such amazing people working for me sharing my vision to get the planet moving.”