Stewart Porter of Malone Tornadoes Rugby: Mixed ability rugby is inclusive and offers personal development potential for participants – and respite for carers

1 Up and at it – what is your morning routine?

I get up between seven and eight o’clock and take our dogs, Dougal, Dolly and Cooper, for a coastal walk.

2 What might you eat in a typical working day for…

Breakfast? Breakfast is regularly porridge made with milk, salt and sometimes cream on top.

Lunch? I can be lazy about lunch; I like my coffee, caramel square or almond slide around 11am and a piece of fruit – if no business lunch is planned.

Evening meal? I gathered a collection of ‘HelloFresh’ recipes, learned the basics and now take my turn to prepare a varied selection of meals. My dishes strangely reflect a few adaptations involving extra cream and butter…

3 Is nutrition important to you – do you take health supplements?

Despite my love of salt, cream and butter, I try to maintain a balanced diet, believing an additional portion of a healthy meal and vegetables is a better alternative to supplements and vitamins.

4 Ever been on a diet – if so, how did it go?

Fortunately, I can still eat whatever I like. I have never voluntarily gone on a diet, but I have supported others to lose weight, although sometimes the ‘support’ was short-lived.

5 Weekend treat?

A Saturday/Sunday roast. I discovered tomahawk steaks and one of these cooked medium-rare with some red wine, followed by mother-in-law’s special apple or rhubarb crumble with warm custard, is always a treat.

6 How do you keep physically and mentally fit?

Physically, I coach and train with the mixed ability team three afternoons and still manage to turn out once a month for The Perennials RFC, a veterans’ fundraising team with the motto, ‘Rich in decaying matter’ – or sometimes described as ‘rugby in slow motion’. I find cycling easier on old knees and golf on the rest of my body. Mentally, I remain positive, optimistic and, from experience, confirm exercise is beneficial in improving and maintaining overall mental health and wellbeing.

7 Best tip for everyday fitness?

My best tip is a simple, light weights bar routine – moving the bar from ankles to hips, chest, above your head and back of neck, a squat, then fully up and above your head, back to chest, hips and ankles, with repetitions subject to varied weight and growing strength. Alternatively, 20 minutes on a rowing machine or bicycle, or a swim or walk (remembering to stretch) is also a great way to keep up daily fitness.

8 Were you a fan of schools sports/PE or do you have a memory from those days that you would rather forget?

I loved playing and competing in school teams and regional and national athlete meetings. My PE teacher (Mr R.C. Bone) was inspirational and head coach of the town’s rugby club – he steered me on a rugby path that included Kilmarnock, Glasgow, Ulster and Scotland.

9 Teetotal or tipple?

I am not a big beer drinker but I have grown to enjoy wine and, like many, have joined the flavoured gin craze.

10 Stairs or lift?

Stairs – you must keep all the body parts moving: “Use it or lose it”.

11 What book are you currently reading?

Children Are My Heroes, the second of two books written by Prof Maurice Savage, the first being The Boy with Curly Ears – they are autobiographies tracking his life from a young north Belfast boy to leading paediatrician, liver and renal transplant specialist working at the Royal Victoria Children’s Hospital.

12 Best Netflix?

Documentaries and true stories – provided there is someone close by to find and work the remote.

13 Most surprising thing you have learned about yourself over the pandemic?

Realising that my late wife was correct in predicting, “I would not be good at living on my own”. She encouraged me with her blessing and said if I found “the right person”, to marry again.

14 Any new skills or hobbies?

My new wife of 30 weeks is a very good golfer (handicap 9) and my new skills are firmly focused on reducing my handicap and competing.

15 How do you relax?

Golf was supposed to be my new relaxing pastime, but gardening (watching the remote grass cutter) or simply cooking dinner for friends are now simple and relaxing pleasures.

16 What are your goals for 2023?

To continue supporting and expanding our community mixed ability rugby initiative, raising further awareness of its inclusiveness, opportunity and personal development potential for all participants – while also giving some respite for carers.

17 What time do you get to bed and do you think you get enough sleep?

I try to be in bed by 10.30pm. I complete my nightly word puzzle, read, or listen to the radio through the night – it could be Dotun Adebayo on BBC Radio 5 Live, From Our own Correspondent or the World Service.

18 Biggest gripe or regret?

Gripe – ‘woke’ is become annoying. I wrote to Test Match Special complaining and attempting to reverse the description of ‘The batsman’ to ‘The batter’. My argument? ‘Batter’ or ‘batters are what you put around fish. I have no regrets – life is too short, but it can deliver a difficult hand. My thoughts turn towards losing my son (11), brother-in-law (21), brother (46) and late wife (54) and thinking how none will share the expected birth this December of my surviving son’s first child.

19 Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?

Family tragedies, including the loss of a child, sudden death, traumatic death, suicide and cancer, change all perspectives and priorities. They require adjustment, robust coping mechanisms, strength of character and mental resilience. Subconsciously, I appreciate more the mixed wonders and frailty of life and although not terribly religious, these events come with a more Christian outlook, a greater sense of awareness, understanding and enhanced empathy of other people’s physical and mental needs. I am now more aware of life’s difficulties, issues, stresses and strains and had the stark realisation that while money is necessary, the value of life, love, true friendship and timely support is much greater.

20 Has coronavirus – or any health epiphany or life event – changed your attitude towards your own mortality?

I have been blessed with a new wife and I am content. My small commitment towards coaching and mentoring has given me satisfaction in helping to support and encourage groups of young children and adults with differing needs and that makes me comfortable with my own mortality.

:: Malone Tornadoes Mixed Ability Rugby is an all-inclusive community initiative for any adult aged over 18 with physical challenges or learning difficulties. Training is each Monday and everyone is welcome. Malone Tornadoes are on Facebook