A personal trainer from Malmesbury has scooped a prestigious award from national training provider Lifetime Training.

Rebecca Maynard, 29, of Bendy Bow, works for Places for People Leisure and received the Active Leisure Apprentice of the Year Award in the Lifetime Learner Achievement Awards 2014, which were hosted at a Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons in May.

Now in their third year, the annual awards recognise, reward and celebrate the personal successes and career development of individuals who have completed an apprenticeship qualification with Lifetime Training.

The single mother-of-three said she had always wanted to give her children something to aspire to.

As a cleaner at a leisure centre and someone who struggled with dyslexia, she felt worthless. Things changed for her when she met Sharon Bassindale, a Lifetime Training regional trainer. Ms Maynard’s life has been turned around after she started an apprenticeship.

She has completed her Fitness Instructor Level 2 and Personal Trainer Level 3 and now works as a fitness instructor, class instructor and personal trainer for The Activity Zone – Places for People Leisure on Bremilham Road in Malmesbury.

On completing her apprenticeships, she said, “I now love my life and my job. My kids have someone as a role model and I can be proud of my achievements. It has not been easy – I have had to work hard juggling jobs and kids and courses and meetings, but I have gained so much from this, I just can’t explain.

“I feel that I am now worth something. Whereas before I felt useless, worthless, low, with zero confidence and self-belief, now all that has changed and the more I do, the more confident I grow and the more I can do, so the more successful I am.”