Former X Factor star Chico to help Macclesfield raise pounds while losing them

Former X Factor star Chico Slimani plans to get the town’s residents fighting fit for a good cause when he visits next week.

The singer, who had a number one hit single ‘It’s Chico Time’, in 2006, and also appeared on TV’s Dancing On Ice, will lead a fitness masterclass in aid of East Cheshire Hospice.

The class will be held at the Fallibroome Academy and is based on Chico’s new fitness brand Block Fit, which he set up after training as a fitness instructor.

Fitness company owner Carla Gilder, who runs Carla Gilder Fitness, CGF, in Bollington, came up with the idea as a way of thanking the hospice staff for looking after her aunt, Rose Eldridge, 76, who died of cancer last July.

Carla, 31, from Bollington Road, Bollington, said: “The staff just couldn’t do enough for my auntie Rose even though she was only there for one night before she died.

“I wanted to give something back so decided to do different things to raise the £7,500 the hospice needs each day to keep going.

“The class is all about people having a good time. Chico is a great crowd-pleaser and and we hope this will help push up the total already raised and bring people to the class who don’t normally exercise too.”

She added: “Rose loved to keep fit before she got ill and would have really enjoyed the class. She also did a lot of charity work making jams and selling them to raise money.”

The class will take place on Friday, February 5 and consists of four 15 minute sections suitable for all abilities: dance, high intensity interval training: HIIT, Combat and Yoga.

Carla said: “The intensity interval training will be the most challenging but people can go at their own pace.”

The determined business owner has already raised more than £3,000 by organising the Cheshire Family Festival at Alderley Park last September, walks, and pop-up cafes, and hopes to raise another £4500 by 7th July this year.And she will be joining in the session herself. She laughed: “I’ll be there sweating and whooping on the first row!”

Around 80 people are expected at the class, which runs from 7 to 8pm.

Tickets are £10 with a limited number still available by searching ‘Chico masterclass Macclesfield’ at eventbrite.co.uk or by emailing carla@carlagilder.com.

Carla added: “Men are welcome too, even though we’ve only had women buy tickets so far!”