In a small Nelson gym there are three people, two are lifting weights - their faces red with effort. The third stands next to a chair in the corner, his walking stick rested against it.

"I didn't get much sleep last night, I was so nervous about speaking to you," he says.

John Williams is 92-years-old, his vision isn't the best and his hearing aid lets others know they'll need to speak up. He's had a heart attack and a stroke but he hasn't let that stop him from going to the gym three times a week for the last eight years.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/FAIRFAX NZ John Williams lifting weights at Riverside Pool and Gymnasium.

"I come here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I get the medicine ball and I hold it above my head - 20 times. I also get the big ball and put it in the small of my back, with it leaning against the wall and me leaning against the ball. I bend my knees and go up and down 20 times. I believe if you use it, you don't lose it," he says.

Williams is originally from England, migrating to New Zealand after a doctor recommended he leave his job in London.

"I wasn't happy doing what I did - work and income - it got the better of me, it worried me a lot so I went to a doctor and he said to me - the best thing you can do is change your job. I thought rather than changing job, what about changing country, so I came to New Zealand," he says.

Recently Williams got a surprise that he couldn't believe.

"I didn't know what happened, when I came in my card made the nasty noise to say that I had run out of money and I thought, 'oh well I suppose it's time to top it up'. The lady at the counter said there had been an arrangement made for me," he says.

Williams gym card hadn't run out of money, his membership had been upgraded.

It came to Riverside Fitness Centre coordinator John McLean's attention that Williams was the oldest member of the 16 Community Leisure Management gyms around the country so he thought it a good idea to give him a free lifetime membership.

"We had a meeting last week with all of the branches around the place and I said over the phone, 'can anybody beat 92 for their oldest member?'"

They couldn't, so McLean organised a "freebie" for him.

"He was chuffed, he was really chuffed."

Williams couldn't believe it when he learned of the news.

"I thought it was absolutely fab ... Coming to the gym for me is a relief because otherwise I wouldn't meet people. You can't go out in the street and start talking to people but coming here I can and do. I've got a big mouth."

Williams credits his wife of 66 years, Sheila, for pushing him to get out.

"My wife is my main mentor. She says, 'you're going to the gym today'. She gives me a little push," he says.

Watching him do his workout, McLean shakes his head and voices what many would think.

"How could you not be inspired?"

Williams says he intends on living at least until he is "mid 90s".

"So [McLean] is going to lose out on a lot of dosh and I'm going to make hay while the sun shines."