Beth Cronin is a Senior Marketing Manager (Business Partnering) in our Advancement function. Her team works closely with academic departments, research institutes and centres and Professional Services teams to help achieve recruitment and conversion goals and strengthen our reputation around the world by providing strategic marketing, tactical planning and campaigns.
Beth also has an unusual hobby that she shared with Dialogue Magazine.
Tell us about your hobby…
My unusual hobby is aerial gymnastics – known as aerial. This originates from circus skills and involves choreography on a few pieces of kit: aerial hoops (large, suspended hoops), silks, slings, and trapeze.
You’ve probably seen people doing it and maybe just not known what it was called!
How did you get into aerial?
I got into a little bit by accident about five years ago, as there was an aerial studio near where I used to live, and I saw an advert for it on social media. After one class, I knew I wanted to go back – and it really didn’t matter that I was a complete beginner!
I always wanted to do something gymnastics related, but just hadn’t had the courage to start it as an adult, until I found the studio I currently go to and gave it a try. It’s best to keep doing it regularly to build your strength up, but honestly anyone of any age could - and should – give it a go, at least once!
Why is it important to you?
I love aerial for lots of reasons. Firstly, the friends I’ve made since starting it and the social aspect is great – everyone is a cheerleader and wants the rest of the group to do well and achieve the moves we’re aiming for.
It’s great for core strength and fitness too, but mainly it’s important to me from a mental health point of view. It requires you to leave your day at the door and concentrate fully on what you’re doing in that moment, which resets your brain a little bit – and for that reason I find it good for mental wellbeing.
Plus, there's a real sense of achievement when you manage to do a move you’ve been working towards!
There’s a studio locally in Durham if anyone wants to give it a try – Tempest Durham. They’d be glad to have you!