Well Nation issue 5 2024

PureGym set for further expansion after revenues grew by 15% in 2023 news & trends

PureGym plans to open between 60 and 70 new gyms during 2024, after it saw its revenues grow by 15 per cent in 2023.

Reporting its full year results for the 12 months ending 31 December 2023, the budget gym chain revealed revenues of £549 million for the year, thanks largely to a 11% increase in its total membership (16% growth in the UK).

PureGym opened 54 new sites in 2023, including 40 in the UK, three in Switzerland and 11 under franchise in the Middle East. The growth means that PureGym ended the year with more than 600 gyms and 2 million members across six markets globally.

The business also increased its profitability, with revenue growth coupled with cost control delivering a 39% increase in Adjusted EBITDA

to £132 million (up from £95 million in 2022). The group is now well placed for growth, thanks to it having £140m of cash on the balance sheet and £315m of available liquidity at the end of 2023.

Humphrey Cobbold, CEO of PureGym Group, said the results show how the health club market remains robust, despite financial headwinds in the larger economy.

“Business conditions in 2023 were once again challenging with inflation rising, high interest rates and energy costs and political uncertainty affecting consumer sentiment and our business directly,” Cobbold said.

“Against this backdrop our results and progress are outstanding, demonstrating growth in all key financial metrics, substantial expansion, a highly significant refinancing and meaningful de-leveraging.”

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PureGym had more than 600 clubs and 2 million members at the end of 2023

news & trends

£400,000 gym opens at The Spa at Beckenham

The Spa at Beckenham in Bromley, South London, has benefitted from a £400,000 facelift as part of a long-term, multi-phase investment plan by Mytime Active. The venue, which includes a swimming pool, gym and multi-purpose sports hall, is owned by Bromley Council and managed by Mytime Active.

The main gym floor has been completely revamped and fitted with new fitness equipment.

As part of the detailed planning behind the refurbishment, Mytime Active has designed a safe, natural journey around the gym for both new and experienced users, creating a series of zones using different coloured lighting to help vary the experience by changing the atmosphere. The areas naturally flow through:

l Health-orientated training (light blue lighting)

l Fixed resistance equipment (green lighting)

l Cardiovascular equipment (purple lighting)

l eGym specialist strengthening and toning equipment (orange lighting)

l Functional training (red lighting)

l Free weights (dark blue lighting)

Darren Anderson, Mytime Active’s Principal Fitness and Wellbeing Manager, said: “We very carefully considered the new layout to minimise

any ‘gym intimidation’, putting equipment to help our Fresh Start members, those who may be new to exercise, recovering from illness or living with a long-term medical condition, as well as our GP referral customers and less confident gym users, near to the entrance.”

Work begins on £24m upgrade of Haden Hill Leisure Centre

Haden Hill Leisure Centre in Birmingham is undergoing an extensive upgrade. The leisure centre, in Cradley Heath, will receive a £24 million makeover which includes the demolition and rebuild of the swimming facilities and an extensive upgrade to the rest of the building to bring the facilities up to modern standards.

Plans include a community pool, learner pool, sauna and steam rooms, gym, two dance studios, an indoor cycling studio and sports hall. The works are being funded by a £20 million grant from the central government’s Levelling Up Fund, an £2m investment from Sandwell Council and funding from other partners.

First opened in 1976, the swimming pool has been closed for nearly 12 months following a partial ceiling collapse last year (2023).

First opened in 1976, the centre will receive a major facelift

The gym features colour-coded zones

A topping out event marked the project entering the final stages

Mablethorpe leisure and learning centre on track for summer opening

A new leisure and learning facility in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, is set for a summer opening, after a ‘topping out’ event marked the project entering the final stages of completion.

The Station Leisure & Learning Centre will include a four-lane, 25m swimming pool; a changing village, modern fitness suite, Tag Active (adventure play) studios as well as a new outdoor play area and car park. The centre will also provide new learning and skills opportunities.

Work on the project started in March last year (2023) and when completed, the facility will be operated by Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure & Culture.

East Lindsey District Council –which owns the centre – successfully bid for Government Levelling Up funding through the Towns Fund and was awarded £7.4m for the project. The council was supported by the Connect Coast Town Deal Board.

The current Station Sports Centre closed on Thursday 11 April to allow

for the demolition of the existing Station Sports Centre building.

There will now be a short period of closure to allow for staff training at the new facility and to complete works.

The new facility is set to open this summer 2024, with the official date to be announced in the coming weeks.

Councillor Richard Fry, the political lead for the Station Leisure & Learning Centre at East Lindsey District Council, said: “This fantastic facility will truly be transformational in improving the health and wellbeing opportunities for people of all ages in Mablethorpe and the surrounding area.

“For many years, a public swimming pool for Mablethorpe has been a long-desired wish from residents in the town. I am delighted that East Lindsey District Council, working with Magna Vitae and the Connected Coast Board has been able to deliver this with a fantastic four-lane, 25-metre pool as well as a new fitness suite and other facilities.”

CoverMe Fitness launches in Australia

CoverMe Fitness, the studio management app, has launched in Australia, with industry veteran Tony Zonato leading the rollout as Managing Director for the region. Designed exclusively for the fitness industry by fitness people, the CoverMe app is revolutionising studio management by providing a comprehensive platform for recruiting, recognising, rewarding and managing group exercise staff. In less than a year, the app has been adopted by more than 100 clubs and 4,500 instructors across the UK, including global brands like Virgin Active.

Your Personal Training to host free ‘LevelUp’ events

Your Personal Training is hosting a series of free LevelUp events, designed to enhance and encourage professional development within the fitness sector. The events aim to offer a unique platform for personal trainers to connect, learn and grow. Upcoming events include:

• May 30th – Sheffield

• June 29th – London

• July 25th – Leicester

• September 26th – Cardiff

Each event will provide access to industry insights and networking opportunities, alongside expertled workshops on a rage of topics.

People news

Peloton CEO Barry McCarthy steps down as part of restructuring

Barry McCarthy has stepped down as CEO of Peloton as part of a restructuring which will see the troubled company cut 15% of its workforce. .

The at-home fitness giant prospered during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has since struggled to build on the momentum.

Peloton said that it would now undertake “comprehensive restructuring efforts”, in order to

Myzone appoints Jason Worthy as CEO

Fitness tech firm Myzone has appointed health club industry veteran Jason Worthy as Group CEO with immediate effect. Worthy began his new role with Myzone on 10 April.

Worthy, who has held several global leadership roles in the fitness sector, has been tasked with steering Myzone through its next period of international growth.

In the short-term, Myzone will remain focused on developing MZOpen, its ecosystem access for club members via Apple and Android smartwatches. The longer-term plan is for the Myzone leadership team, led by Worthy, to expand the brand’s worldwide reach.

During his career, Worthy has worked for both health club operators and fitness equipment companies, including a stint at LA Fitness and as head of sales at Technogym. He moved to Fitness First in 2011 to become head of operations, in time for the launch of Fitness First’s budget concept, Klick Fitness.

In April 2012 he joined Life Fitness as GM for EMEA, being promoted

to MD of the UK business in May 2013. In May 2016 he was made MD of Cybex International, supporting the integration of Cybex with the Brunswick Corporation’s family of brands, following its US$195m (€179m, £138m) acquisition at the start of that year.

That was then followed by Worthy being named president of Life Fitness in 2018, ahead of a move within Brunswick in July 2019, first as VP International of its Boating Services division, before taking on the role of CEO at Dallaglio RugbyWorks in March 2020.

“align the company’s cost structure with the current size of its business”. Upon full implementation, the company expects the plan to result in reduced annual run-rate expenses by more than US$200 (£160m) by the end of its 2025 fiscal year.

In addition to the 15% cut in its workforce – which translates to around 400 people losing their jobs globally –Peloton said it will “continue reducing its retail showroom footprint”.

Steward named Places Leisure’s wellbeing MD

has named Belinda Steward as its new Managing Director of Leisure, Health & Wellbeing. Steward joins the business from Derwent Facilities Management, which is also part of Places for People, the parent group of Places Leisure.

Steward has spent most of her career in the hospitality sector, where she has held various senior leadership roles, including for blue-chip hospitality brands Greene King and Wyndham Hotel Group.

Places Leisure

Barry McCarthy

Jason Worthy

PHOTO: PELOTON

PHOTO: MYZONE

PHOTO:PLACES

There were 65,000 health and fitness clubs across Europe at the end of 2023

European fitness clubs hit “record revenues” in 2023

The combined revenues for European health and fitness club operators reached €31.8 billion in 2023 – an all-time record high.

The figure comes from the annual European Health & Fitness Market Report 2024, from Deloitte and EuropeActive, published on 20 April 2024.

According to the report, the growth was driven by large operators expanding, alongside inflationdriven increases in the price of memberships.

The overall penetration of fitness club membership (percentage of gym memberships of total population) in 2023 was 8.4% – an increase from 7.9% in 2022).

Herman Rutgers, EuropeActive Ambassador and co-author of the report, said: “The European Health & Fitness Market Report has become the gold standard for market research in the fitness and physical activity sector.

“Based on the growth shown in our research and the outlook for 2024 and beyond expressed by the

operators we interviewed, we are confident to reach EuropeActive’s ambition of getting to 100 million members of health & fitness centres by 2030.

Other headline figures from the report include:

• At the end of 2023, there were 65,000 clubs across Europe (a +1.4% increase on 2022)

• The total number of members across European clubs in 2023 was 67.6 million, an increase of +7.5% from 62.9 million in 2022

• Europe’s top 20 fitness operators (by size) generated €6.3 bn in revenues, an increase of 19 per cent on 2022

• The top 20 fitness operators had 17.4 million members at the end of 2023, up 13 per cent on 2022

• The top three European fitness operators by membership are Basic-Fit (3.8 million members), RSG Group (2 million) and PureGym (1.9 million)

• The three top operators by revenues are Basic-Fit (€1,047 million), David Lloyd (€854 million) and PureGym (€621 million).

Two fitness leaders champion healthspan focused training

SH1FT announces two groundbreaking new ��tness programmes in partnership with 24 Hour Fitness

Strength training is booming in 2024. How can gyms capitalise on this, while also delivering fresh and unique experiences that serve members of all ages?

This was the challenge that 24 Hour Fitness, the 40-year leader in health and fitness, set itself. The company’s MODUS group training brand has been operating as a successful strength based “boutique within a club” since 2022 and it had a vision to expand the coach-led experience into the mobility space with something fresh and results based.

While there were pre-formatted options available in the “stretch and strengthen” space, nothing hit the right spot. That’s when 24 Hour Fitness called upon its existing Group Fitness partner, SH1FT Fitness. SH1FT creates out-of-the-box group fitness formats for gyms across all fitness disciplines. But it also does something no one else in the industry offers: it works with gyms to understand their needs and create bespoke programming to meet them.

Building something truly unique

When you hear the words ‘bespoke programming’ you might think ‘expensive’. But SH1FT uses its unique technology solution (class delivery app, programming tools, and education platform) to deliver this at a surprisingly low cost - much less than the cost of a pre-formatted solution, with the added benefit of complete ownership of the brand by 24 Hour Fitness.

24 Hour Fitness saw this as its opportunity to create something truly one of a kind for its members. Working closely with SH1FT to define the goals and DNA of the new programming, two new MODUS programmes were born – MODUS MOBILITY and MODUS MOVE

MODUS MOBILITY

l What is it?

An active recovery class that incorporates functional range of motion training with the latest techniques in stretching to enhance performance in and out of the gym.

l Who does it target?

Members focused on athletic performance and ‘lifting’ who want to see direct results from their recovery training.

l What makes it different?

MODUS MOBILITY combines science-backed techniques in mobility, flexibility and stability to stretch and strengthen the muscles and joints. The result? It refocuses the body and mind and creates measurable improvements in overall fitness performance.

MOBILITY enhances athletic performance’

MODUS

MODUS MOVE has a sports and gameplay feel

MODUS

MOVE

l What is it?

Longevity training with a focus on stability, neuromuscular activation and athletic skills that carry over to everyday life... and the pickleball court.

l Who does it target?

MODUS MOVE is for anyone of any age who understands the importance of a well functioning body and wants to feel good and move well for the long term.

l What makes it different?

Every MODUS MOVE class has a sports and gameplay feel which creates a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose whilst also challenging the body and mind with novel movements. MODUS MOVE offers more variety and excitement than a traditional gym routine which keeps motivation high.

Both MODUS MOVE & MOBILITY are designed to deliver positive impacts on a persons healthspan - the number of years they live in good health.

The in-person experience:

The programs will be delivered live in a small group setting, encouraging an immersive environment where coaches can create deep connections and deliver meaningful change to their participants.

Instead of classic group exercise classes which stay the same from week to week, MODUS MOBILITY & MOVE are designed around an 8 week cycle, with tests and challenges along the way so members feel their movement improving throughout the 8 weeks, before the focus changes to keep things fresh.

Recognising the importance of digital, SH1FT Fitness has created accompanying digital classes for the 24GO member App, for those moments when members can’t get to the gym.

Mike Heim, Sr. Mgr, Programming & Education, 24 Hour Fitness:

“These classes have been meticulously designed around the latest scientific research to deliver real change to our members. Longevity training or ‘fitness for life’ is an area that is far too underserved in Group Exercise - but it’s incredibly important to us at 24 Hour Fitness. We are thrilled at how SH1FT has taken our vision and worked with us to create these two unique programs that are like nothing the industry has ever seen.”

Both MODUS MOVE & MODUS MOBILITY are launching in 24 Hour Fitness clubs nationwide this month.

So what’s next for SH1FT Fitness?

Will Brereton, Founder, SH1FT Fitness:

“We believe this partnership is the start of a step change in how big box gyms do Group Fitness. For too long, gyms have been forced to decide between the high cost of creating in-house, or the unsatisfactory position of bringing in a third party brand. Right now, differentiation is key and we’ve found a cost effective way of creating high quality own-branded programming for a fraction of the cost of doing it in-house. It’s a game changer and gyms are starting to realise this. We are thrilled to be partnered in the USA with such a leading name in fitness, and are currently working on our largest ever partnership at home in the UK. Watch this space!”

news & trends

Entries open for ukactive Awards 2024

Entries are now open for the ukactive Awards 2024 – as ukactive announced that the official awards ceremony will take place in Birmingham on Thursday 3 October.

The awards are open to fitness and leisure operators of all sizes, industry suppliers, sports organisations and sector partners.

This year’s edition will see winners declared in 16 categories, which include some new additions. The Outstanding Leadership Award has been separated into two individual awards – one for an Outstanding Individual Leader and the other for an Outstanding Leadership Team.

The deadline for submitting entries is Friday 24 May.

Ali Beckman, President of the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA), the Headline Sponsor for the ukactive Awards 2024, said: “The ukactive awards are the most prestigious within the physical activity sector, and STA is proud to be working in partnership with ukactive as the

Winners will be declared in 16 different categories

headline sponsor for a second year.

“The awards celebrate leadership, creativity, innovation, diversity and excellence – all that is good about our fantastic industry, and as a charity dedicated to the teaching of swimming and lifesaving, we are thrilled to be involved with this year’s event.”

The 16 award categories include Regional Club of the Year, National Club of the Year, Supplier of the Year and New Build or Design of the Year. Individual awards include the Physical Activity Hero Award and Outstanding Individual Leadership Award. For more info, visit: www.ukactive.com

Doncaster’s The Dome leisure hub set for £14.4m redevelopment

A £14.4m refurbishment project of Doncaster’s iconic The Dome sports and leisure centre has taken a step forward, having been approved by City of Doncaster Council’s Cabinet.

The project will include the redevelopment of the Dome’s famous lagoons, which will see them closed for up to a year. The venue’s other facilities and services – such as the ice rink and health club – will remain open.

Doncaster Dome first opened in 1989 and is in need of modernisation. Operated by Doncaster Culture Leisure Trust, the centre was made a Grade II Listed building last year.

CEO of Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust, Michael Hart, said: “We’re thrilled that the City of Doncaster Council approved the funding for the refurbishment of the Lagoons at Doncaster Dome.”

The famous lagoons will be revamped

Designed to wear, made with care

Corporate leisurewear & brand-enhancing merchandise from Taylor Made Designs

Born out of a passion for clothing, Taylor Made Designs exists to create desirable corporate clothing and brand-enhancing merchandise.

With over 30 years of experience providing the leisure sector, Taylor Made Designs offers an end-to-end garment management service, with design consultations, storage and fulfilment, in-house branding and an online ordering platform all ‘Taylored’ to your brand.

Our own developed TMD Leisure Essentials Range has been designed to not only make brands’ staff look good, it also transforms the way they both feel and perform at work .

Each garment from the range has been specifically designed and created for the people who wear them; they are both functional + comfortable.

We work closely with brands to provide unique and desirable products that surpass their everyday needs with the highest care, meticulously concentrating on quality, performance, timeless style, comfort and fit.

‘Taylored’ for comfort, style, fit & performance

Our vision is “to ‘Taylor’ the future of sustainable corporate clothing by shaping the ‘now and the next’ through constant improvement, inspiration and innovation”.

Our approach is ‘Taylored’ to your brand.

We spend time getting to know your brand by listening, questioning and learning.

Combining what we learn with considerations for design, style, performance, fit, sustainability, brand image and value for money, ensures we deliver the very best possible outcome for your brand, every time.

CONTACT US

Tel: +44 (0) 1202 473311

hello@taylormadedesigns.co.uk www.taylormadedesigns.co.uk

news & trends

Activity Alliance launches manifesto ahead of GE

Activity Alliance has launched its manifesto ahead of this year’s general election (GE), outlining a number of policy calls designed to ensure disabled people have equal access to sport and physical activity.

Titled Fight for fairness: Disabled people’s right to sport and physical activity, the manifesto was created by Activity Alliance – the national charity for disabled people in sport and activity – with contributions and insight from disabled people, advocates and organisations in the sport, physical activity, and voluntary sector.

“There are 16 million disabled people in the UK,” the organisation says. “Yet, disabled people face many barriers that can make it more challenging to access and take part in meaningful sport and physical activity. The GE, expected later this year, provides a crucial opportunity to ensure actions are taken to tackle the fairness gap. That is why we’ve launched our top asks for the next government and are writing to parliamentary candidates.”

The manifesto outlines three main asks:

1. Protect the benefits: Provide wider safeguarding to reassure disabled people that being regularly active will not threaten their benefits

2. Equip health and care workers: With the NHS, ensure that better

processes are in place for health and care workers to support disabled people to use physical activity in ways which work best for them

3. Increase accessible outdoor spaces: Take a leading role in promoting and legislating design standards that ensure accessibility in local and national spaces.

Welfare reform “fails to address issue of failing national health”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans to reform the welfare system has received mixed reviews within the physical activity sector.

On 19 April, the PM set out plans which will see people who are “fit to work” but do not accept job offers will have their benefits taken away after 12 months. Sunak said “unemployment support should be a safety net, never a choice” as he promised to “make sure that hard work is always rewarded”.

According to physical activity sector body ukactive, however, the measures provide no real solutions to the core issue – the declining health of the nation. ukactive CEO, Huw Edwards, said: “The PM’s emphasis on the mechanics of determining mental health fails to address the fundamental issue that, by most indicators, our national health has notably deteriorated.”

Disabled people face many barriers to take part in exercise

Some gyms, pools, and leisure centres have seen bills rise by more than 200%

Quarter of local authority areas “risk losing facilities”

A quarter (24%) of local authority areas remain at risk of seeing their leisure centres close or reduce services by September, due to ongoing high energy costs and other operational pressures.

The finding comes from ukactive’s Energy Risk Survey, which collected responses from public sector operators across 143 local authority areas in the UK and from private sector operators representing a total of 579 sites.

It found that nearly two thirds (62.5%) of fitness facilities run by private sector operators are extremely likely to have to increase customer pricing in the next six months to help cope with high operating costs. Three quarters (75%) have already been forced to raise prices since October 2023. While energy prices have stabilised to a degree, they remain substantially higher than before the energy crisis and in some cases, gyms, pools and leisure centres have seen bills rise by more than 200%.

To respond to these pressures, publicly operated facilities in 15% of council areas have introduced changes to their financial or operational models to protect against the impact of further energy price rises.

The current geopolitical situation on energy costs, increased staffing costs and the impact of the costof-living crisis were all listed as areas of serious, ongoing concern by operators. Support for some public sector operators came in the form of Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, announced in March last year. However, demand greatly outstripped supply, with less than 50% of applicants being successful in phase one. Many other providers, such as those in the private sector, those without pools, and operators outside of England were not eligible.

Following the publication of its Energy Risk Survey, ukactive is now calling for the Government to recognise growing public demand and help more people to access these essential services.

news & trends

iCareiMove expands Move More healthy ageing programme

iCareiMove plans to make its Move More programme, which it currently operates across Cornwall and the Scilly Isles, a nationwide initiative.

Developed by iCareiMove – and operated in partnership with Cornwall Council – Move More has been designed to mitigate the risk of falls among individuals aged 65 and above, promoting healthy ageing and independence.

With funding support from the Cornwall Council Public Health Department, the programme offers a range of free activities tailored to enhance balance, strength, and overall well-being. These include community-based classes, digital sessions and functional fitness MOT events, providing participants with comprehensive fall prevention strategies.

The initiative is designed to both reduce the burden on healthcare services and foster a culture of proactive healthy ageing. Nationally, hip fractures alone account for 1.8 million hospital bed days and £1.1 billion in hospital costs annually, excluding social care expenses. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 28-35% of people aged 65 and over experience falls each year.

“Maintaining mobility and strength is crucial for older adults,” said Helen Tite, founder of iCareiMove.

Under-used martial arts space turned into The Grid functional training area

A low-occupancy martial arts studio at the Barrhead Foundry leisure centre in Glasgow has been transformed into a high-energy functional training arena.

The new space, branded The Grid, will be used for individual and group training and will enhance the centre’s fitness offering for the community.

Barrhead Foundry is owned by East Renfrewshire Council, who appointed Alliance Leisure to undertake the project. Alliance then assembled a team of leisure specialists to execute the vision. These included leisure contractor Thomas Johnstone Ltd, Axiom Project Services, CD Architects, Indigo Fitness, Pulse Fitness and Hutchison Technologies.

The Grid took four weeks to complete and will be operated by East Renfrewshire Leisure and Culture Trust.

Jo Cameron, Delivery Manager, Alliance Leisure, explains: “As our first project with East Renfrewshire Council, this was an exciting

opportunity showing the potential of transforming underutilised space into a thriving activity hub that would deliver significant value to the local community.

“We are looking forward to supporting the launch of this project and the growth in membership over the coming period.

Robert Hammond, Head of Operations at East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, added: “Working with Alliance Leisure and the specialist partners to deliver our exciting new fitness space The Grid for Barrhead Foundry has been a great experience.

“From initially designing the space through to the delivery of the building works and fitout, this has been a smooth process and Alliance really looked at the finer details assisting with the fitness concept. The new training space will have a huge impact.”

The project was delivered through the UK Leisure Framework which is managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd.

Exercise is crucial for older adults

PHOTO: ALLIANCE LEISURE

The Grid is located at Barrhead Foundry in Glasgow

PHOTO: ICAREIMOVE

news & trends

RLSS lifeguard qualification receives UCAS points

The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS UK) National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) has been approved for UCAS Tariff points from May 2024, to enhance the appeal of lifeguarding among students even further and alleviate lifeguard shortages across the UK and Ireland.

NPLQ now carries eight UCAS Tariff points after being elevated to a Level 3 qualification and being officially registered with UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) – which will help students secure a place at university or further studies.

Lifeguard shortages remain a critical issue in the health and fitness industry.

Yet, according to CIMSPA’s 2023 Workforce Insights Report, lifeguarding ranks among the most sought-after skills by employers, with 40% of job postings for sports and leisure assistants in 2022 requiring lifeguarding expertise.

“Students are a viable solution for operators looking to address lifeguard shortages and their

vacancies,” said Jo Talbot, commercial director from RLSS UK.

“Recognising that students are much more likely to relocate for university and college, we urge operators to assist lifeguards in transferring to other swimming pools during their studies to retain these skills, keep facilities

safe and return to their jobs during holiday periods or after studying.”

Statistics from RLSS UK’s 2023 Lifeguard Survey demonstrate the popularity of lifeguarding among students, with two-thirds of the 2,456 current lifeguards surveyed enrolled in full or part-time education.

National Fitness Day 2024 to take place on 18 September

The National Fitness Day 2024 will take place on Wednesday 18 September, hot on the heels of the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris.

Now in its 13th year, the nation’s most active day of the year – organised by industry body ukactive –will feature new branding for the 2024 campaign.

The day will be supported by sports rewards platform, Endurance Zone and men’s mental health charity, Movember, for the second year in a row.

Gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres, sports clubs, studios, schools, workplaces, and online providers across the UK will be opening their doors to encourage as many people as possible to try something new and reap the physical, social and mental benefits of physical activity.

Last year (2023), 10.2 million people in the UK were directly motivated to participate.

PHOTO:

Lifeguard shortages remain a critical issue in the health and fitness industry

PHOTO: RLSS UK

National Fitness Day will encourage people to get active

IIH UK partners with 1FitLife to

launch

specialist online wellbeing videos

Volunteer-led charity, IIH UK, has partnered with digital workout creator, 1FitLife, to create specialist activity videos to encourage people living with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) to improve their wellbeing.

IIH is a rare neurological condition associated with raised fluid pressure around the brain, causing disabling daily headaches, brain fog, fatigue and visual loss, which can be permanent. IIH is more often found in those with increased body weight and people with IIH are insulin and leptin resistant – and have fat programmed for making more fat.

An IIH UK survey found that 78% of people with IIH who were advised to lose weight were not offered support in achieving it and 84% of those who were offered support did not find it helpful and appropriate.

In response to these figures, IIH UK teamed up with 1FitLife to create bespoke wellness videos that offer the IIH community a beneficial, safe, expert-

led wellbeing programme that goes beyond just focusing on weight loss.

The videos feature Fionnuala Donovan, a physiotherapist for neurology outpatients at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

Donovan’s IIH UK-funded research identified the need for physical activity opportunities specifically designed for those living with IIH –and how exercise can have a positive impact on their overall long-term wellbeing. The content and postproduction were all produced at 1FitLife’s studios in Bournemouth.

Donovan says: “It was imperative that the content was relatable and achievable for the IIH community. So the videos feature manageable segments including a five-minute warm-up and cool down and 10-minute sections on cardio, strength, balance and core. We also created a video specifically to aid relaxation, which included meditation and breathing techniques.”

Xplor looks to grow its market share

Xplor Mariana Tek expands into UK with 1Rebel contract

Boutique fitness tech specialist, Xplor Mariana Tek, has entered the UK gym market after securing a deal with 1Rebel. Mariana Tek is one of the tech solutions offered by Xplor Technologies and is marketed as a premium studio management software solution. The platform enables studios to curate and customise the branded experience they offer both in-studio and online. The customised app allows members to book a class, bring along a guest, use geolocation to check-in, pre-order or purchase items and select their favourite activities.

Community Leisure UK to deliver carbon literacy training

Community Leisure UK (CLUK) has teamed up with the Workers Education Association (WEA) to deliver a series of carbon literacy training for those working in public leisure. CLUK has designed a new Carbon Literacy course, building on its expertise in supporting charities and social enterprises working across public leisure and culture. Delivered in partnership with the WEA, the training is open to anyone working in the charitable public leisure and culture sector. It is also fully accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project.

PHOTO: 1FITLIFE/IIH UK

PHOTO: XPLOR MARIANA TEK

The videos feature people who live with IIH

policy

Our evidence needs to inspire change

Huw Edwards CEO ukactive

There is an ever-growing dependency on gyms, pools, and leisure centres to drive physical activity levels in our country, and this is reflected in the last two sets of Active Lives Surveys (ALS) published by Sport England in the last six months covering both adults and young people.

These figures show that fitness and swimming activities remain major drivers of physical activity as the third biggest source of activity for adults – behind only walking and active travel. With an increase of 1.5% on the previous year (approximately 800,000 more people), it mirrored the popularity demonstrated in Sport England’s survey of children and young people last year.

This growth is also clear from our own findings in ukactive’s Private Sector Benchmarking report, released in April. The data showed that private operators across the UK have seen a 10% growth in gym memberships at their facilities since January 2022 and this growth was also evident in the recent report from EuropeActive and Deloitte on the European health and fitness market.

What’s abundantly clear is that our nation’s gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres are essential in supporting the health and wellbeing of communities and consumers are continuing to look towards our sector to help them to lead active, healthy lives.

But what cannot be ignored is the challenging backdrop that operators continue to navigate to keep providing these essential services. In our latest Energy Risk Register survey of members, operators told us that ongoing pressures in the form of high energy costs, staffing concerns, and the cost of living are major concerns and without the right support, this could put communities at real risk of restricting or, at worst losing, their vital access to support.

These figures should be a note of caution to the Government if there is any hope of addressing the decline in our national health. The Government’s Get Active Strategy sets targets for growing activity

As we approach a General Election, any future government needs to put in place a strategy that uses all the levers it has at its disposal

levels by getting 2.5 million more adults and 1 million more children active by 2030 and the Government will need these facilities to operate with confidence and security if their target can be achieved.

Furthermore, as we approach a General Election, any future Government needs to put in place a strategy that uses all the levers it has at its disposal if it’s serious about making the nation more active, healthier and happier. This can be achieved in several ways but by working hand-in-hand with the representative bodies from the UK’s physical activity, sport and recreation sector (the National Sector Partners Group), alongside our members, the Government can provide a focused strategy on areas such as children and young people, and the workforce, and show how it will support the renewal and growth of the sector’s facilities.

This involves working in partnership with us, understanding how our facilities are instrumental in preventing ill health, and empowering our sector to be the leading force in solving some of the Government’s biggest priorities, such as record levels of long-term sickness and growing NHS waiting lists. What is reassuring is that our sector is already playing its part in tackling these challenges and we’re making real strides in building this political will within Government as part of our wider lobbying work, including showcasing our members’ facilities across the UK. We’re doing everything we can to ensure our sector gets the representation and support it deserves. It is now up to the Government - and our next Government - to recognise our role in delivering its ambitions.

news report

Wellness Hubs breaking down barriers to physical activity

Astudy on the impact of a Wellness Hub in in one of the most deprived areas in North East Lincolnshire has shown how it has helped tackle health inequalities among those who don’t typically engage with conventional fitness facilities. Those benefiting from the exercise hub at Grimsby Health and Wellbeing Centre include older adults, those on low incomes and people with long term health conditions.

Max Associates and 4Global were commissioned to assess the social return of the Wellness Hub –whose inclusive fitness solutions include powerassisted machines supplied by Innerva – and provide a holistic review of the community impact.

The study found that by meeting the needs of those who are under-represented in traditional leisure facilities, the Wellness Hub has generated exceptional social value for the community, earning a place in the top 10 per cent of facilities when compared to sector-wide benchmarks across the UK.

It also shows how much users value the hub, which is operated by charitable trust Lincs Inspire, with many travelling past leisure facilities closer to their homes to use the specialist power-assisted equipment.

Developed in partnership with Experian in 2015,

4Global’s Social Value Calculator (SVC) gives leisure operators, local authorities, national funding bodies and industry stakeholders a means of measuring and evidencing the social value created from investment in sport and physical activity. The tool makes these monetary figures consistent and relative across the sector, thereby allowing benchmarking. The SVC is part of the Datahub project, which is the largest repository for sport and leisure data in the UK.

According to the DataHub study, the Wellness Hub in Grimsby has positively impacted the lives of people living with a range of conditions including CHD stroke, breast cancer, colon cancer, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, hip fractures and back pain. In addition, regular Wellness Hub users have reduced their visits to the GP.

As a country, England has some wide health inequalities with healthy life expectancy varying by up to 17 years depending on where people live, with those in some parts of the country twice as likely to have a disability or health condition than people living elsewhere.

The health of people in North East Lincolnshire is generally worse than the England average with three quarters of adults classified as overweight or obese and just 56 per cent of adults reaching the

PHOTO:

Former snooker pro, Mike Hallet, is one of the hub’s users

The hub features specialist equipment

required levels of physical activity. Mortality rates from preventable diseases for people aged under 75 are also higher than the national average.

The research shows the hub is meeting its ambitions to engage older people, with 46 per cent of users aged over 65. This is the borough’s largest population group, but historically is under-represented in leisure centres.

Laura Childs, Head of Marketing at Innerva says: “For years the health and fitness industry has talked about the challenge of engaging under-represented groups in physical activity.

“This research shows that the perceived barriers of low income, disability and long term health conditions can be overcome if operators provide an accessible offering that meets people’s needs. Lincs Inspire’s work across the borough is a blueprint for how physical activity can be made inclusive and welcoming for all.”

Lisa Forsyth, MD of Max Associates, said: “In a region where physical activity rates fall below the England average, the Wellness Hub is successfully attracting people who would not use a conventional gym. With more than 1,000 unique users, the hub is significantly impacting activity levels and, as Lesley and Mike’s experience shows, also has extensive

The hub is at the forefront of our health improvement strategy and has enabled us to forge close partnerships

benefits for mental health and social wellbeing.”

Ben Frary, Sport & Health Improvement Manager at Lincs Inspire, added: “North East Lincolnshire has some big challenges when it comes to tackling health inequalities amongst its residents, but we are proud that the SVC report shines a light on the positive steps being taken within our Wellbeing Hub to support some of our residents to be more active.

“The Hub is at the forefront of our health improvement strategy and has enabled us to forge closer partnerships with the health sector to collaboratively support people to better manage their health conditions. The data from the SVC report is brilliant and coupled with the numerous case studies from our members, demonstrates the impact of the Hub on the health of the borough.”

PHOTO: INNERVA/ LINCS INSPIRE

The hub has positively impacted the lives of people

Sarah Watts, CEO (left) and Paul Cluett, MD

In conversation with Sarah Watts & Paul Cluett

Pioneering sports and leisure facility specialist, Alliance Leisure, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024. WellNation spoke to founder and CEO, Sarah Watts and MD, Paul Cluett, about the company’s journey

If you’ve walked into a new leisure centre, which doesn’t look much like a traditional leisure centre, the chances are that Alliance Leisure has had a hand in it. Serving the industry for 25 years, the leisure development specialists are behind some of the most exciting, forward-looking physical activity spaces in the public sector today. From climbing walls and interactive assault courses to tenpin bowling and even spas, the company is reshaping the public leisure landscape. At its helm are two industry stalwarts – CEO Sarah Watts and MD Paul Cluett – with a passion for the transformative power of public sector facilities on the health and wellness of individuals, communities and the nation as a whole.

How did Alliance Leisure come about?

SW: I launched Alliance Leisure in 1999 after the birth of my third child. I’d been working at Bristol City Council as the Assistant Direct Services Organisation Manager for five years and had seen how ageing leisure centres were starting to fall out of favour with the public.

These facilities, typically comprising a sports hall, swimming pool and gym, were dated and uninspiring. They were losing ground to private health and fitness clubs offering more exciting and relevant facilities. I was sure there was a way to help local authorities evolve their centres to keep pace with trends and better align themselves with what the public wanted.

The result was the launch of Alliance Leisure offering funding mechanisms to local authorities to enable them to develop their leisure facilities. Our first project was securing £1 million for Hull City Council, stepping in after their funding for three leisure centre refurbishments unexpectedly fell through.

How has the company evolved?

SW: After a few years, funding became much cheaper to access thanks to the launch of the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB). It marked a crossroads for the business. In addition to providing financing, we’d been refurbishing and repurposing facilities for some years, mainly modernising gyms and converting underutilised squash courts into more usable, revenuegenerating spaces such as soft play. With the launch of the PWLB, we pivoted the business to become the industry’s first specialist development partner.

With Paul Cluett joining us in 2008, we’ve evolved to become the UK’s leading expert in public sector leisure development. Our journey has been peppered with industry firsts, including building the first public sector spa for Pendle Leisure Trust and Europe’s first Flight Tower with multiple descents, including a zip line and free fall, as part of a £5 million redevelopment of Salt Ayre Leisure Centre for Lancaster City Council. We also delivered the £17 million destination waterpark SC2 in Rhyl for Denbighshire Leisure.

Alliance has delivered 130+ projects through the UK Leisure Framework in the past five years

What has driven the company’s recent growth?

PC: Being appointed as the leisure development partner to the UK Leisure Framework (UKLF), which is owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), has truly been a game-changer for us. We’ve seen the value of our projects increase from averages of £1-2 million to projects now in excess of £40 million.

As the UK’s first development framework dedicated solely to leisure, the UKLF offers a comprehensive solution for leisure developments, and with a framework cap of £2 billion we envisage delivering many more projects over the next few years. Open to all UK public sector organisations, it helps mitigate investment risk by utilising expertise in leisure regeneration and maximising efficiencies throughout the development process. Streamlining the traditional design and build process, the framework avoids the competitive tender process. This can reduce procurement time by as much as six months allowing local authorities to make efficiencies in the early stages and reduce inflation costs.

All suppliers appointed to the UKLF have extensive experience in the leisure industry, so decisions, designs and execution are all informed by years of best practice. The framework also takes a holistic approach, supporting all aspects crucial to successful and sustainable leisure development, including design, business planning, funding, construction and marketing. Over the past five years alone, we have delivered over 130 projects through the UKLF, with an additional £500 million currently in development, planning or construction phases. Many local authority teams are thinly stretched and adding a multimillion pound leisure development project to their workload is often beyond their capacity. Under the UKLF, we lead project delivery from concept to completion and even in the months beyond, through our TA6 support team to ensure facilities are successful and sustainable in the long term.

Alliance Leisure was named Supplier Of The Year at the ukactive Awards in 2022

Allliance has delivered 250+ projects with an investment value of over £370 million

What projects are you most proud of?

SW: There are lots of projects that make me proud, but the redevelopment of Pendle Wavelengths in East Lancashire in 2007 is particularly special. The project included Inside Spa, the first spa to be offered in a public sector leisure facility. Back then, spa was still in its infancy and considered exclusive, certainly not something to be found in one of the most deprived areas of the UK. It was high risk, but Inside Spa proved hugely successful and went on to win numerous awards. It marked a new era for health and wellness in the public sector.

PC: Like Sarah, I can name many projects that are memorable for their innovation and impact, but what I’m most proud of is the lifeline we offer leisure services by improving the efficiency and sustainability of their facilities. Sarah mentioned SC2 earlier which was a brand new waterpark on the sea front in Rhyl that played a critical role in Rhyl’s wider waterfront regeneration. The first of its kind for local leisure provision, it included a large indoor waterpark with thrill seeking rides, an outdoor splash pad, food and beverage outlets, as well as the first TAGActive indoor assault course in North Wales and the UK’s first JuniorTAG. The success of this and our other projects demonstrate that redevelopment and reinvestment in leisure provision can yield economic, health and social cohesion benefits for communities, offering an invaluable return on investment. With extensive research and consultation – both with users and non-users – we create centres with a facility mix tailored to community need, that appeal to a broader population base and are economically viable.

We are a tight knit community and I’m proud that we have been able to maintain a sense of family as the business has grown

What does the future look like for Alliance Leisure?

PC: The sector is increasingly aligning with health and wellbeing, and the spaces we create are reflecting this change. That goes beyond adding a consultation room here and there; it’s about developing centres that truly reflect local need with a range of relevant health, wellness and activity services to offer something for everyone in that community.

SW: I always say my greatest achievement is my three daughters, but Alliance Leisure is my fourth child. Since launching the business 25 years ago, we have delivered more than 250 projects with an investment value of over £370 million. With a current turnover of £100 million, we are on track to reach £150 million next year. This level of success only comes with a strong team. Both Paul and I actively nurture talent and strive to create a culture which empowers people to thrive.

We are a tight knit community and I’m proud that we have been able to maintain a sense of family as the business has grown. Our focus now is on steering Alliance through this next stage of growth, while upskilling key members of the team to ensure its continued success in the future.

Elevate 2024

Elevate, the UK’s largest tradeshow for ��tness, sports performance and physical activity will be held for the seventh time this year

Launched in 2016, Elevate was designed to act as a catalyst for uniting the physical activity, fitness, and sports therapy sectors. The idea was to bring both decision makers and suppliers from the different areas into a single space.

“We describe Elevate as an arena of opportunity, showcasing ideas, technology, and innovation from leading suppliers and thought leaders under one roof,” says Lucy Findlay-Beale, event director.

“Within the industry, there’s a notable surge in collaboration, education, and standards. We are particularly seeing this geared towards health, reflecting a concerted effort to support the health agenda.

“This dynamic shift underscores a commitment to holistic wellbeing and collective progress. The connected approach of the sector shows its strength and deeper understanding of its importance and power.”

Educational excellence

In addition to the large exhibition floor, which will this year showcase more than 200 product and service providers, Elevate features a wide-ranging educational programme. For 2024, the programme will be delivered across four different “theatres”.

l DEBATE

Called the Thought Leaders Conference in previous years, Debate is the hub for tackling the industry’s most pressing topics. Sponsored by Myzone, the

stage will host the keynote session featuring David Stalker, president of EuropeActive; Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive; and Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA. It will also host the leading discussions on Women in Sport, the future of leadership, the pivot to health, the relationship between physical activity and obesity, mental health, and sustainability.

l GENERATE

Previously known as The Business of Physical Activity, Generate focuses on the business side of fitness. Dive into retention strategies, AI integration, social media best practices, technology utilisation, staff recruitment and upskilling, and how to use your data and modernise your facility.

l COLLABORATE

Formerly Activating the Nation, Collaborate – sponsored by Life Fitness – emphasises community engagement and health promotion. Topics include the use of gamification, the importance of inclusive language, integrating fitness into healthcare, supporting those with long-term health conditions, and mental health advocacy.

l ACCELERATE

Accelerate focuses on optimising personal performance and wellbeing. Through the programme, delegates will be able to learn about topics such as long-term behaviour change, sleep optimisation and menopause.

In addition to the four Elevate-created theatres, there are a number of standalone theatres offering more than 10 streams of content – and all are free to attend. The partner theatres will feature Kidztivity, bringing engaging content to support children and young people in being active. Active Aquatics, presented by RLSS, Swim England, and STA, will dive into aquatic fitness. Third Space will host bespoke training for PTs and PT businesses, sharing insights from the best in the UK and Heart Centred Business is back to help businesses increase revenues and smart marketing.

Technogym returns with its education space, showcasing innovation, data, and the latest wellbeing trends. 2024 will introduce Quoox education, allowing attendees to explore its software and solutions and join discussions on key themes and client challenges.

Include Summit

New for 2024 Elevate is its strategic partnership with the Include Summit, the conference committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in sport. Through the collaboration, Elevate will integrate four exclusive sessions curated by Include Summit into its educational offerings, with each session specifically focusing on EDI topics. Elevate is thrilled to join forces with Include Summit to enrich its educational content and provide valuable insights into EDI practices across its sectors.

leading suppliers expert speakers streams of educational content main theatres

decisionmakers

HIGHLIGHTED SPEAKERS

l Adam Blaze – CEO, Activity Alliance

l Ali Jawad – Paralympic powerlifter

l Baz Moffat – CEO, The Well HQ

l Catherine Fermer – Operations Director, The Gym Group

l Dr Davina Deniszczyc – Charity and Medical Director, Nuffield Health

l Duncan Kerr – CEO, Wave Active

l Eve Sukhnandan – Global Chief People Officer, PureGym

l Guy Griffiths – Director, GG Fit

l John Oxley – CEO, Life Leisure

l Katherine Knight – Director, Intelligent Health

l Martyn Oakey – Head of Fitness, Everlast

l Michelle Dand – Product and Programme Manager, David Lloyd

l Oliver Patrick – Co-Founder, Future Practice

l Sarah Roberts – Head of Fitness, Places for People Leisure

l Sarah Watts – CEO, Alliance Leisure

l Tanya Martin – Head of Insight & Innovation, Women in Sport www.elevatearena.com

Who will be at Elevate?

Active Insight

Active Insight is looking forward to delivering 3 sessions over the 2 days of Elevate. Utilising data from Active Insight’s Consumer Insight Panel, Julie Allen, Business Development Director will be joined by industry experts and hear directly from operators for a session focused on lapsed members – why members are prepared to pay for a membership they’re not accessing followed by a session on Data Driven Decisions on day 2. Meanwhile, David Monkhouse, Director, will be chairing a session looking at participation and how data informs participation strategies. “We are delighted to support and contribute to the Elevate speaker programme – we have a wealth of consumer insight generated via our consumer insight panel but also Moving Communities and other research that we conduct, we are looking forward to sharing this data and turning it into actionable insight for attendees to improve, develop and drive their customer experience forward,” said Julie Allen. www.active-insight.org

Alliance Leisure

Alliance Leisure will be sponsoring the large networking lounge located in the centre of the Elevate show floor, where the team will also be hosting their own meetings and generally catching up with industry friends.

Across the two days of the show, Sarah Watts, MD; James Foley, Commercial Director and Paul Woodford, Strategic Engagement Director will also be contributing to various panel debates sharing insights and experience around a wide range of topics including sector trends, sustainability and facility design. www.allianceleisure.co.uk

BOX12

BOX12 is a technology-led boxing for fitness solution that combines boxing techniques and functional training to fully optimise a member’s workout potential. Consisting of 12 x 3-minute rounds, BOX12 is accessible 24 hours a day, that allows members to train on their schedule and uses virtual coaching screens to guide them through a full-body workout in just 36 minutes.

Founded by Jamie Cartwright and Jon Eade, BOX12 consists of the POD and the In-Club Solution. The POD is a free-standing, space-saving, boxing and functional fitness unit. Ideal for smaller spaces, for both commercial and personal use. The In-Club consists of a rolling circuit that takes 36 minutes (12 x 3 min rounds), the virtual coaching screens instruct the member through a boxing and functional workout.

BOX12 prides itself on being inclusive with no gender divide. The workouts are fun, change monthly and provide a positive and safe environment for boxing. www.box12fitness.co.uk

Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM)

Do you need more members for your gym? If so, pop to stand H15 and have a chat to Creative Fitness Marketing. They have a unique way of getting new members for gyms quickly and cost-effectively, using a 360-degree marketing and sales approach. On average they sign up between 150 and 400 new members for their clients in only 6 weeks, increasing their ongoing monthly revenue by between £1,500 and £5,000!

How do they do it?

Multi-faceted marketing. 10 marketing mediums deployed simultaneously. Complementary approach of features AND benefits-based marketing.

On-site sales team using an empathy-based selling process. Industry-leading close rate of 80%.

www.uk.cfm.net/

PHOTO: ALLIANCE LEISURE PHOTO:

Balanced Body

At Elevate this year, Balanced Body, global leader in Pilates equipment and education, will be on stand E10 showcasing its leading Group Pilates Reformers and its newly launched Group Reformer Pilates education programme which has been endorsed by Active IQ and is specifically designed to up-skill instructors already teaching in a fitness setting. Balanced Body certified trainers will be on stand demonstrating the Balanced Body Allegro and Allegro II Pilates Reformers, both with and without the addition of a Tower. You can also find Balanced Body on the speaker programme, as Christine Crooks, Pilates Fitness Programmes Manager will be speaking in the Accelerate Theatre on Wednesday 12th June at 2.30pm. www.pilates.com

Layrd Design

Layrd Design is a commercial interior designer specialising in gym and leisure design and fit-out. It recognises that you need to make an impact and set the tone of your brand for your members’ experience from the second they enter the space. Every detail from the wayfinding, lighting, changing rooms and gym floor should be considered and consistent with the brand and concept. Ahead of Elevate, Layrd launched an exclusive Gym Design Package which simplifies the design process with a fixed price. At Elevate, Layrd will be hosting 20-minute discovery taster sessions with a gym design expert. www.layrddesign.co.uk

Myzone

Physical Company

Physical prides itself on being First for Fitness Solutions, and its stand at Elevate will take that a step further still, with a new zone showcasing a range of in-club wellness solutions. Body composition analysis comes courtesy of a new partnership with seca TRU, while Power Plate is working closely with Physical to bring a range of wellness opportunities to the stand. Meanwhile, bridging the gap between fitness and wellness is Teca Fitness – another new Physical partnership – with its StandUp equipment perfect for movement breaks that train the whole body, without even having to change into gym gear. And of course, from a fitness perspective, Physical has you covered whatever your needs. It’s impossible to showcase 1900+ products on one stand, but get ready to explore exceptional Ecore gym flooring, Exigo’s multi-functional lifting station, and a wide range of Physical equipment with a spotlight on the new RBX Performance range. www.physicalcompany.co.uk

Myzone is attending Elevate to meet with industry friends old and new, deliver product demonstrations and showcase the launch of MZ-Open, a new, open access function that enables anyone to join Myzone’s heart rate training ecosystem direct from their Apple or Android smart watch. Myzone is also sponsoring Debate. Formerly known as the Thought Leadership Conference, Debate provides a platform for hosting discussions, sharing insight and generally encouraging thinking that goes beyond the norm, breaking down barriers and pushing possibilities into new territories. Speaking about the show, Jonathan Monks, Director of EMEA, Myzone, says: “Elevate provides the perfect environment for connecting with hundreds of industry professionals face to face, delivers cutting edge education and thought leadership whilst also showcasing all the latest innovations that will shape the future of the sector. The two days delivers so much value, it’s a must-attend for me.” www.myzone.org/

Precor

Precor is excited to be showcasing a range of new fitness equipment at Elevate this year. Highlights will include a selection of cutting-edge products specifically tailored for glute training, and developed in partnership with Glutebuilder, a trailblazer in innovative and biomechanically focused designs. They will also be demonstrating their next generation cardio consoles, featuring PrecorCast™, which seamlessly and securely enables exercisers to cast content from their mobile phone on the big screen. Precor will also be previewing their brand new Resolute™ Dual Adjustable Pulley. Incorporating a modern, refined design, unparalleled durability, and a comprehensive set of features, the Resolute™ Dual Adjustable Pulley has been created to meet the evolving needs of today’s exercisers. www.precor.co.uk

SAPCA

The Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) is the UK’s trade association for the sports and play construction industry. The association’s 220+ members are responsible for building the UK’s sports and physical activity facilities – from 3G pitches, padel courts and athletics tracks to leisure centres and large-scale stadiums. All SAPCA members are carefully vetted for excellence and are committed to SAPCA’s Codes of Practice and guidelines – ensuring they work to the highest standards. SAPCA and its members set the standards for excellence in the design, construction and maintenance of sports and play facilities across the UK. The SAPCA team will be at Elevate – come and see us to find out more about the work of the association. www.sapca.org.uk

Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK)’s purpose is to enhance communities, so everyone can enjoy being in, on and around water, safely; because every life is worth saving. Our work is vital in every city, town, community and home. RLSS UK has a proud history of helping to reducing the number of lives lost to drowning. Our mission is to be the leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Sharing our expertise and knowledge with as many people as possible, giving everyone the potential to save lives and enjoy water, safely. www.rlss.org.uk

Transform Your Fitness Space with ServiceSport UK! In a world where member satisfaction is key, it’s easy to fall for the latest trends and chase perfection. At first, this can be achieved by purchasing new equipment, but not many gym operators are blessed with the finances to replace their equipment every five years or so. As a result, that once beautiful looking, and fully functional kit can start to look worn and suffer from countless defects leading to members cancelling their membership and moving to a rival that offers better equipment. It’s a vicious cycle!

ServiceSport UK offers a cost effective way to breathe new life into old gym equipment and achieve five star member satisfaction. Visit the ServiceSport stand at Elevate and and ask about the gym equipment refresh process. www.servicesport.com

RLSS

ServiceSport UK

PHOTO: SERVICESPORT

Sterling Turf

Sterling Turf designs and manufactures hightech, durable Synthetic Turf for gyms and sports venues. We combine the best raw materials, with a passion for creating the ultimate quality turf.

Our DuraMax™ sled track turf is a market leading high density, heavy weight sports turf, which combines the latest fibre technology, resulting in a high performance gym surface that’s built to last. DuraMax™ is created for both indoor and outdoor installations, to use as a sprint track or complete gym flooring to enable functional fitness over large areas. Whatever the shape or size of your space; big or small, we have an option to suit. We have a wide range of designs available with options for customisable layouts and branding…. the possibilities are endless!! Come pay us a visit to see how our team can work with you to create a gym flooring that really stands out from the rest. www.sterlingturf.com

Taylor Made Designs

Born out of a passion for clothing, Taylor Made Designs exists to create desirable corporate clothing and brand-enhancing merchandise. With more than 30 years of experience in supplying the leisure sector, Taylor Made Designs offers an end-to-end garment management service, with design consultations, storage and fulfilment, in-house branding and an online ordering platform all ‘Taylored’ to your brand.

TMD helps your staff not only look their best but feel their best, with our Leisure Essentials Range designed and created for the people who wear them.

Our affordable, comfortable, and stylish Leisure Essentials Range is the perfect addition to a leisure setting, with our in-house branding we can ensure quality and efficiency every step of the way. www.taylormadedesigns.co.uk

Institute of Swimming

Institute of Swimming, in collaboration with Swim England, will be exhibiting at Elevate 2024 to help enhance the prominence of aquatics within the leisure industry. Visit stand F46 and take a deep dive into the dedicated aquatics-themed area, featuring insightful talks by industry experts throughout the exhibition.

You’ll also have the opportunity to meet the IoS team and discover a range of aquatics offerings, from teaching programmes to pool plant courses and bespoke solutions. www.swimming.org/ios

STA

Swimming Teachers’ Association will be represented by its awarding organisation, Safety Training Awards and its training subsidiary, STA Excel. Together, they will showcase STA’s professional portfolio of qualifications in swimming teaching, lifesaving, first aid, and pool plant management. In the Active Aquatics theatre, STA will also be hosting panel sessions on recruitment and apprenticeships. www.sta.co.uk

Swim England

Swim England is the national governing body for swimming in England, covering every area of swimming. From learners to teachers, athletes to coaches, the organisation supports people to achieve their best in the water. Its tutor programmes and CPDs ensure everyone involved in the delivery of swimming is highly trained. It also support the swimming providers with information on facilities and best practice. Swim England’s research team provides detailed information to help develop new initiatives that encourage more people to go swimming. www.swimming.org