Northstowe Neighbours: Building a fitter future in Northstowe

Fostering wellbeing, sustainability, and a strong sense of community among residents are at the heart of Northstowe's development.

Northstowe is more than just a town under development; it’s a growing community where fitness, fun, and community thrive. At the heart of this movement is one of Northstowe’s Neighbours, Hektor Marden, who run his own personal training business ShapeXchange, and is the lead PlayLeader for the local ParkPlay. His passion for health and wellbeing is helping transform lives in Northstowe.

ABOUT HEKTOR

Hektor’s journey into fitness was shaped by both challenge and success. As a teenager, he was an avid rower, competing nationally, but his aspirations were cut short by a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) at the age of fifteen. While this ended his competitive aspirations, it did lead to the opening of a new chapter. Working at a physiotherapy clinic in his early twenties and looking to continue his recovery from CFS/ME ignited his curiosity about the musculoskeletal system and healthy movement patterns, leading Hektor to pursue a career as a personal trainer. Today, he collaborates with physiotherapists to help clients recover from injuries, regain function, and improve their quality of life. After moving to Northstowe three years ago, Hektor is helping to pioneer the new town’s independent spirit as an active member of the burgeoning Northstowe community, including by running the local ParkPlay and volunteering as one of the trustees of the charity Northstowe Hub, which helps people come together as a community with its events and projects.

BUILDING FUN, FITNESS, AND COMMUNITY

Every Saturday at Western Park Sports Pavilion in Northstowe, Hektor leads ParkPlay, a free, inclusive event designed to bring people of all ages together for games and physical activity. The “#MeetMovePlay” format ensures that everyone, from young children to parents and grandparents, can participate and enjoy the experience. It also fosters Northstowe’s community spirit and enhances its profile as a place that promotes active, healthy and fun lifestyles.

The impact goes beyond physical fitness, with the most important benefit of ParkPlay being the connections you make. It’s an opportunity for families to have fun together, meet neighbours, and get active without pressure or preparation.

With warm-ups inspired by yoga, Pilates and functional fitness training, ParkPlay blends structured activities with unstructured fun, allowing participants to develop skills like agility and reaction time while enjoying fun twists on classic games like tag, catch and dodgeball.

GROWING A THRIVING COMMUNITY

Beyond fitness, Hektor is a dedicated advocate for building community spirit in Northstowe. He’s actively participating in several initiatives that foster connections and provide vital support for residents, including a community café, a micro-library, and a mothers-and-babies group at The Cabin community centre. Hektor’s efforts to champion Northstowe’s pioneering independent spirit are evident, with activities such as these helping people from different backgrounds build connections and get to know each other.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Hektor envisions a Northstowe where fitness and community spirit continue to grow hand in hand. With expanding facilities like the pavilion and accessible sports courts, he envisages more and more opportunities for residents to connect and get active.

Hektor is confident that positive momentum within the community is building as the Northstowe development continues, and as more people join the community, he’s excited to see how the town can build on what has already begun and create even stronger bonds. This vision of daring to be different, inclusivity and well-being is central to the future of Northstowe, making it an exciting time for both current and new residents to get involved and shape the future of the town together.

Whether it’s joining a session of ParkPlay, volunteering at a local event, taking a trip around the beautiful lakes, or using the new sports and fitness facilities, there are many ways to get active and engage with the community. Hektor’s efforts to enable this vision for Northstowe reminds us that fitness isn’t just about exercise – it’s a way to bring people together and cultivate a sense of belonging in the community. 

Find out more about Northstowe Neighbours here.