🏃🏾♀️ Meet the Folkestone PE teacher on a mission to make exercise fun for all
Plus: Revised plans for controversial seafront development approved by council, and suspect arrested after woman allegedly attacked near the harbour
‘I’m not here to beast you, it’s not a workout, it’s not a boot camp. It’s about making exercise fun’
When he was growing up, the idea that anyone might not have enjoyed school PE lessons would have struck Gareth Williams as ridiculous. Naturally sporty and blessed with skill on both the football and cricket pitches, competitive sport was central to his life and his identity as he went on to play hundreds of games as a semi-professional goalkeeper for football clubs across the south east.
But as the years passed, and age and injuries began to take their toll, he discovered that even those with a passion for the game can find themselves falling out of love with it. “With football I was chasing the dream and I got quite close,” Gareth, now 39, told the Dispatch. “I was at Crystal Palace for a year when I had just left school, I played for Bromley, I played for Horsham—Isthmian Premier, Conference South, three or four hundred games at that level.
“But then I started dropping [into lower divisions] and then I wasn’t training as hard, I was making mistakes, and then there’s like 20 blokes in the crowd compared to a thousand. In your head you’re still the guy that was 21 and playing at that [higher] level, but I could never do it anymore because of work and stuff. I just didn’t enjoy it, I didn’t like being rubbish at something I was once really good at.”
After hanging up his gloves Gareth, who now lives in Folkestone with his wife and three children, qualified as a primary school teacher and began teaching PE classes. The experience was something of a revelation. “Because I was that kid who was always good at it and I always played sport, when I started teaching I never even thought that there were kids that didn’t,” he said. “I loved PE, but then I realised I need to teach for the kids that are not liking it. I completely flipped my perspective.”
Now Gareth is on a mission to inspire adults who may have hated PE at school—putting them off exercise for life as a result—to get outside and get moving. In August 2024 he launched play_folke, a weekly session he promotes with the message: “play isn’t just for kids”.
“I’m not aiming for the gym bros, I’m not aiming for the marathon runners,” Gareth explained as he finished setting up ahead of a Thursday evening session on the East Cliff overlooking the Channel.
“My job as a primary school PE teacher is to get kids to leave primary school not hating it, that’s all I’ve got to do. Because the way I do PE at school is not sport-based, it’s not old school. Doing it at school and seeing how the kids engage with it, I thought it’s got to work for adults.
“I’m married to someone who hated PE at school and she doesn’t do anything sportwise because of that negative experience, so I’m trying to change the narrative because everyone’s experience is what they had at school. Someone might have had that negative experience, or doesn’t want to do a gym class, or feels a bit intimidated, but they’ve come and given this a go, and they just smile and they laugh and they enjoy it.
“I’m not a personal trainer, I’m not claiming to change anyone’s body, or that I’m going to get you this result in six weeks—just come along and make physical activity fun. Because if you go away having a bit more of a positive relationship with it, like I try to get the kids to have, then it’s going to enrich your life in some way. Hopefully I can start the ball rolling with people. I have tried to stay away from calling it ‘fitness’ because it’s just ‘activity’ and that should be fun.”
And if play_folke is anything, then it is certainly fun. Shortly after 7pm a group of around 15 have assembled—some old-timers, others first-timers—and the joking and laughter that will be the hallmark of the night is in evidence from the off. Gareth’s approach is to use variations on playground games that get everyone involved and moving, regardless of sporting aptitude or level of fitness.
“All physical activity is good, but I want to try to do it in a slightly more relaxed way,” he said. “I don’t really focus on sports skills, so there’s no emphasis on throwing, catching, kicking. It’s movement skills, it’s making movement fun in a relaxing environment with silly games.”
Zoe Scandrett has been a play_folke regular from the start and values the opportunity to get active in a social environment. “I don’t like competitive sports, but I like doing stuff with people,” she said. “I do exercise by myself, I go for a run or whatever, but it’s just fun to do it with people but in a non-competitive kind of way.
“It immediately appealed to me, I saw it on Instagram when Gareth was just starting it up and I thought it was such a good idea. It’s really friendly and it’s very low pressure, we’re just here to have fun. If you’re out of breath, or if you don’t fancy the look of a game, you can just sit out and no one looks at you, there’s no pressure or anything.”
What is striking about our hour up on the East Cliff is the way Gareth skilfully manages the session, with games that work regardless of how competitive the members of the group want to be, and lots of regular breaks to get your breath back. While some of us find the competitive streak starting to show through, others are approaching it all entirely light-heartedly with smiles on their faces throughout.
At one point everyone is dashing between hula-hoop ‘islands’ in a bid to evade the ‘sharks’ tasked with tagging any stragglers. It’s all done with such a sense of mischief and genuine warmth that it’s easy to miss that your breath is getting shorter and your heart rate faster.
Ultimately Gareth—who teaches at a primary school in Thanet—has succeeded in creating a place where those who are put off by the world of Strava PBs and gym bunnies on social media can get active in an environment that’s welcoming and supportive.
He said: “The tagline is ‘fun, active, social’. I’m not a PT, we’re not starting bang on seven o’clock, we’re not like ‘get down and give me 100’, we’re not on the stopwatch. If people need a bit more of a rest, then have a bit more of a rest.
“I don’t put any expectations on anyone, take it all at your own pace, because there’s different levels of fitness. I could push them really hard but then they can’t carry on after 20 minutes, so that defeats the point because then they’re having a negative feeling about physical activity.
“That’s where my years of coaching and teaching come in, I can work it out as it’s going along. Who’s here? What games can I do? How long can I do them for? And I really try to encourage the chat bit as well. Have a little chat, network with some people that you might never have met, moan about how unfit you are, have a joke and have a laugh. People can step out of a game if they feel like they need a few minutes. I’m not here to beast you, it’s not a workout, it’s not a boot camp. It’s about making exercise fun.”
For more information about future sessions follow play_folke on Instagram. Gareth is teaming up with Folkestone Pride to stage a Picnic & Sports Day on The Leas this coming Saturday, June 21, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. You can find out more here.
News in brief
🚧 Revised plans for the controversial redevelopment of Folkestone harbour were approved by the Folkestone & Hythe District Council planning committee yesterday evening, June 17. Previous designs for the scheme were rejected in January, so Sir Roger De Haan’s Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company returned with amended proposals. A number of councillors once again expressed concerns over the scale of the plans, the impact on the skyline and heritage assets, and the provision of affordable housing. However, in line with the recommendation of council officers, councillors voted in favour of approving the plans subject to conditions contained in the report before them. There were seven votes for, two against and two abstentions.
🚨 A woman was allegedly attacked in Harbour Way last Saturday, June 14. Police officers were dispatched shortly before 8pm after reports of an assault were received, but by the time they arrived the suspect was no longer at the scene. A spokesman for Kent Police said: “Following enquiries, a man was later arrested on suspicion of assault. He has been bailed while enquiries continue.”
🏖️ Five new compactor bins are being installed at coastal litter hot-spots ahead of the coming summer season. Other measures being taken by the district council include more litter crews, enhanced equipment and additional signage. While visitors to our coast are always welcome, they often do leave behind huge amounts of rubbish. Cllr Jeremy Speakman said: “We have some incredible coastal destinations across the entire district—with each of them deserving to be looked after. We will be doing our bit to help keep our beaches looking nice, but we need visitors and residents to join our efforts and help defend the environment, wildlife and our coastal waters against discarded litter.”
🚧 The former Oddfellows club in Cheriton could be converted into flats if plans for a change of use submitted to the council are approved. The social club in Broomfield Road has been closed for some time, and now developers want to create six flats while retaining an existing three-bed maisonette. The public have until July 8 to comment on the plans, which can be found here.
🎞️ The Folkestone Documentary Festival’s filmmaking challenge is returning for a third year. Open to both professional and novice filmmakers from across Kent, the competition seeks short docs “based on the local environment, stories and communities”. A spokesman for the documentary festival said: “The jury will be looking for imaginative interpretations of subject matter rather than perfect technique. Films can be shot on multiple cameras or on your phone—it’s up to you.” You can find our more about the competition here.
💔 Kent Police is warning people to beware of romance fraud after victims in the county were swindled out of a total of £3.1 million in the last financial year. A total of 240 reports were received from Kent victims in 2024/25, with each person losing an average of £13,000 each. DCI Helen Smithers said: “Romance fraud is a particularly cruel offence because the criminals responsible prey on the emotions of their victims, letting them think they are falling in love when they are actually falling for an elaborate scam.”
What’s on this week
🎙️ Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, June 20. Jools will be joined on stage by former Squeeze bandmate Gilson Lavis, as well as guest vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall, and Sumudu Jayatilaka. The show starts at 7.30pm and you can get tickets here.
🎤 Chump’s Comedy is returning to the Quarterhouse tomorrow, June 19, for the Summer Comedy Club. The night is hosted by Frankie Monroe, headlined by Jake Lambert, and also features comics Finlay Christie, Lucy Pearman and Bella Hull. It all kicks off at 7.45pm and you can get your tickets here.
🐶 The first ever Folkestone Harbour Dog Show is being held at the Harbour Station on Saturday, June 21, from 11am. There will be eight categories for your pooches to enter, including golden oldie, cutest puppy, waggiest tail and best trick. Registration opens at 11am and places are limited. You can find out more information about the event here.
🎞️ Musical fantasy movie Wicked will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, June 20, as part of this year’s free summer cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.
📖 The Folkestone Bookshop will be hosting its regular Storytime session tomorrow, June 19, at 11.30am. Bookseller Erin will be reading several stories perfect for little ones. The tales will be best suited for children up to five years old, but everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be available for both kids and adults and there is no need to book in advance, just turn up and enjoy the stories.
Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!
That’s all from me this week. If you have a story you think I should be looking at, then please do get in touch. It’s important that Dispatch readers help shape the future of this newsletter because ultimately I want to be covering the Folkestone issues that matter to you. So do feel free to drop me an email with any tips or ideas.
Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.
All the best, Rhys
Did you appreciate this edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Please forward it to a friend, share it on social media, get in touch with me via email, or leave a comment. The Wednesday newsletter is free to everyone, and will always remain so, but please do help it to have a sustainable future if £5 a month is affordable to you and you find this newsletter interesting, engaging, useful, or all three.
In case you missed it…
🌊 Folkestone Triennial 2025: Artists to highlight the issue of coastal water pollution
Ministry of Sewers artwork at this summer’s Triennial to put spotlight on issue of water pollution