Pop mobility instructor sacked for being 'too old'

9:37am Thursday 28th February 2008

A super-fit pensioner who ran seven keep-fit classes a week has been axed by council bosses ... for being too old.

Celia Powis was called into town hall offices a day before her 70th birthday and given her marching orders after doing her job for more than 30 years.

The move has attracted fierce criticism from campaigners who accused Mrs Powis's former employers, Worthing Borough Council, of being "ageist".

The council was last night under pressure to reverse its decision, much of it from the hundreds of people who have signed a petition to keep Mrs Powis in her job.

She is pinning her hopes on an appeal to the council to reinstate her, to be heard on March 18.

She said last night: "All I want is to be able to do the job I love.

Pop mobility is fantastic for the body. It works just about every part of it and has great benefits.

"It works for people of all ages and all abilities. The only reason they've got rid of me is my age, not my ability."

Since turning 65, Mrs Powis has regularly contacted the council to confirm her contract was being renewed.

The law allows people to work beyond retirement age at the discretion of employers. But Mrs Powis, who has received glowing references from those who attend her classes, was called into the meeting in January and told she was no longer needed.

Since then she has been sent a letter by the council confirming the reason was because of her age and that she has the right to appeal.

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley said: "If she's fit enough to do the job, that's all that matters."

LibDem borough councillor Bob Smytherman said: "It is utterly outrageous and blatantly ageist."

Coun Robin Roger, LibDem leisure spokesman said: "It is clearly ageist, there's no two ways about it."

A spokeswoman for Age Concern added: "Our right to work should be based on our skills and motivation, not our birth certificate.

"It's outrageous that many older people are being pushed out of the workplace because of their age." Mrs Powis began taking fitness classes at Worthing Leisure Centre in Shaftesbury Avenue in 1975 before turning her hand to pop mobility, a vigorous one-hour fitness class to pop music.

The £4.40 sessions regularly attracted more than 250 people, making the council an estimated £200 a week.

On one occasion more than 440 keep-fit fanatics turned up.

Her husband, Jack, 68, said: "It totally goes against all common sense. She's more than fit enough to do the job - probably one of the fittest people in the country for her age. She's a superstar.

"The council is making money out of the classes and the people who go along are all extremely happy. They love it.

So where's the problem?"

It is the second ageism row to hit the headlines in the past year.

The axeing of 85-year-old Bill Lloydbriden from his Worthing College cleaning job sparked controversy in June last year.

The plucky pensioner took his case for unfair dismissal to the High Court But it ruled last week that the college had acted within the law, despite it being recognised that Mr Lloydbriden was fully capable of doing the job.