ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 103 - 17 June 2022
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Gym members to set world-first 40-hour workout for mental health charity – page 5 Sector leaders call for urgent action as energy costs put leisure facilities and pools at risk of closure – page 8
2022
FRI DAY 18TH NOVEM BER 2022, THE ATHENA, LEI CESTER
NOMI NAT I ONSWI L LRE MAI NOP E N T HROUGHOUTT HEYE AR, CL OSI NGON F RI DAY26T HAUGUS T2022.
SPONSORED BY
NOMINATION FORM Category entered: Gym name: Gym opened:
Postcode:
Full address:
Main contact:
Job title:
Telephone number:
Mobile number:
Email: Total size (in sqm) of the gym/centre (including pool, studios etc): What is the total of your current membership: What is the total number of staff (Full Time): What is the total number of staff (Part Time): How many studios (if any) do you have: Facilities provided: (tick all that apply) Gym facilities
Sports hall
Pool
Creche
Restaurant/cafe
Spa facilities
Do you offer any other facilities? Please specify:
Do you offer any classes? Please specifiy:
Person making nomination: Telephone number of person making nomination: Email of person making nomination: Supporting information must be sent to via email to events@scriptmedia.co.uk (tick if evidence sent)
Please see overleaf for the rest of the form Please return to: Megan Prince, Script Events, Script Media Group LTD, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS
NOMINATION FORM
Please state, in 300 words or less, why you are entering the category indicated and why you think that your gym/centre/individual should be shortlisted:
Please see overleaf for the rest of the form
Please return to: Megan Prince, Script Events, Script Media Group LTD, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS
5
WORKOUT WEEKLY
Gym members to set world-first 40-hour workout for mental health charity MEMBERS of London gym Manor are set to work out for 40 hours on the longest day in aid of mental health charity Rock2Recovery, with Myzone tracking their every move. 12 members from Manor gym have decided to set a new world record and lock themselves in a basement gym over the longest day of the year to raise £40,000 and awareness for mental health. The attempt, accepted by the Guinness Book of World Records, will take place from 6am on June 21 to 10pm on June 22. The team of 12 will be locked in a basement gym with no sunlight on the longest day of the year completing 40 hour-long workouts. “We wanted to raise money and awareness for this great cause,” said ex-veteran Gareth Ship, who is leading this attempt. “I know first-hand the difficulties mental health can have on veterans and their families, and I hope our
effort can play a small part in helping to change the lives of those.” The team members are working hard to prepare for the event, raise money and work out how to prepare for no sleep while working full time in their respective jobs. The team consists of Rhys White,
Gareth Ship, Lucy Bills, Mimi Gardener, Irma Beruckaite, Callum Hogarth, Ollie Medwin, Lauren Sullivan, Charly Eggleston, Ed Straker, David Bowers and Alex Simpson. “We’re so proud and excited to support such an incredible event for
such a worthy cause,” added David Stalker, CEO of Myzone EMEA. “Myzone is all about effort, and the amount that this team will be putting in over the course of the World Record breaking workout session is deserving of every penny donated for Rock2Recovery.”
James Cole appointed head of partnerships at TA6 JAMES Cole, formerly commercial director at leisure management company 1Life, has joined TA6 – the marketing and training division of Alliance Leisure, as head of partnerships. He will report directly to Paul Woodford, director of marketing and partnerships, and will be responsible for working with the team to develop and deliver successful community engagement campaigns on behalf of the growing TA6 portfolio of leisure operator clients. Having joined 1Life in 2005, James has spent the last 16 years delivering commercial success across multiple sites and product lines. Since the start of 2021, he has held the national role of commercial director, responsible for financial performance Publishing manager: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio manager: Paul Hopkinson ph@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant studio manager: Scott Firth sf@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia.co.uk
www.workout-uk.co.uk
James Cole across 20 local authority owned leisure facilities, resulting in a collective annual turnover of more than £20million. James said: “I have always had a huge
amount of respect for both Alliance and TA6. I was looking for a new challenge and through the role with TA6 I believe I have found it. “Over the last 16 years I have learnt that teamwork and partnerships are absolutely essential to success. “I am looking forward to using my skills in both areas, coupled with my commercial experience to make a valued contribution to the continued growth of TA6.” His immediate priority is to get up to speed with current project commitments whilst also preparing to lead new contracts with Trafford Leisure and Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust. James’ introduction coincides with an expansion of John Leaver’s head of marketing remit which will see
additional support for the development side of the business as well as a continued active involvement with TA6. Paul Woodford, director of marketing and partnerships at Alliance Leisure and head of TA6, added: “I am super excited to welcome James onto the senior team at TA6. “He will join myself, John Leaver and Neil Harrison in leadership roles and will work with a dedicated account manager, along with our in-house digital and creative teams, to design and deliver impactful campaigns that drive customer engagement and deliver a great return on marketing spend. “James has an incredible level of experience and skillset that will benefit all our clients both now and in the future.”
Team GB star Max joins annual 1Life conference MAX Whitlock OBE was the star of the show at the annual conference, which was held at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, where he spoke about his partnership with 1Life, grassroot sport and his latest business venture, Max Whitlock Gymnastics. The focus of the conference was grassroot sport and getting more children interested in exercise. Max and fellow Team GB star Tom Dean MBE partnered with 1Life earlier this year in a bid to inspire more people to take an interest in their health and encourage participation among communities as part of the Aspiring Athletes initiative. The next phase of the initiative will see a number of budding athletes across the country have free use of 1Life facilities as well as support from Max and Tom to help them achieve their sporting dreams.
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8
WORKOUT WEEKLY
Sector leaders call for urgent action as energy costs put leisure facilities and pools at risk of closure A COALITION of leading bodies in the physical activity sector have written to the Government calling for urgent support to save leisure facilities from going under as they face a rise in energy costs of up to 150 per cent on last year. ukactive, the Local Government Association, the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association, Swim England, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, the District Councils’ Network and Community Leisure UK, sent a letter to Michael Gove and Nadine Dorries – the secretaries of state for the department for levelling up, housing and communities and the department for digital, culture, media and sport respectively. Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “Many of our members have told us that rising energy bills have put them at real risk of closure. “We need the Government to act, or these essential facilities will start to disappear from our communities very quickly, just as the UK prepares to host the Commonwealth Games this summer.” In the letter the organisations issue a stark warning about the consequences if facilities do not receive urgent relief from the Government. In a survey of ukactive members, public leisure operators were asked about the impact on their facilities if there is no financial support to mitigate against the increases and projected increases to energy costs over the coming months. Up to 79 per cent of public leisure facilities say that without support they are ‘likely’ or ‘extremely likely’ to cease operations within the next six months.
Huw Edwards It means that hundreds, potentially thousands, of leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools may be lost as a result of huge rises in energy costs, which are estimated to have risen from a sector total of £500m in 2019 to between £1bn and £1.2bn in 2022. Energy bills have increased by 150 per cent compared to last year, and in 2023 are forecast to rise by 185 per cent compared to 2021. Other findings showed that over the next six months: n 85 per cent of facilities surveyed stated that they are likely or extremely likely to reduce services. n 63 per cent of facilities surveyed stated that they are likely or extremely likely to reduce staffing levels. n 78 per cent of facilities surveyed
stated that they are likely or extremely likely to increase customer pricing. All operators said they would be ‘likely’ or ‘extremely likely’ to increase customer pricing within the next 12 months, and all said they would cease operating within 18 months if no support is provided. It means thousands of essential facilities are at risk and consumers are facing rising costs for health and fitness services during the cost-of-living crisis. In the letter, the coalition of organisations says: “We are writing to request your commitment to being part of urgent talks with local government leaders and industry groups to address the impact of the energy crisis on the fitness and leisure sector, and that these discussions begin in the coming days. “Whilst we appreciate this is a crisis that is impacting all aspects of our economy and society, the projected figures we set out in this letter forecast the collapse of parts of the sport and physical activity infrastructure in this country over the coming months – at a time when the nation will be taking inspiration from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. “They document the extreme pressure elements of the sector are under right now, especially operators of swimming pools with high energy dependency. “The implications of these very important services ceasing to operate, especially given some provide statutory services, will not only be business failure and job losses, but the restriction of vital health and wellbeing services for millions of people of all ages and all backgrounds that are a core part of levelling up the UK. “We hope the scale of this situation is
fully understood, and that you will join us in bringing our collective energy, urgency, and focus to bear on this issue which will impact communities across the UK.” The letter ends with a call to begin urgent discussions over the coming days to review all possible options open to the Government, including offsetting the growing financial pressures using the following measures: n An in-year grant with an increase to the local government settlement from 2023/24 to ring-fence and protect public leisure facilities. n An immediate review of sector taxation and regulation, that minimises other outgoing costs, with longer-term business tax reform to collectively support the sustainability and growth of the sector. n Support for a move to non-carbon intensive heating methods. The annual contribution of sport and physical activity to the economy is £13bn and it provides 400,000 jobs, while also delivering £450m annual savings to healthcare, by preventing 30 million additional GP visits, according to research by Sport England and Sheffield Hallam University. Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA, said: “These are alarming statistics and it is imperative the government acts quickly to support these facilities, which so many people rely on for their physical and mental wellbeing. “We are especially concerned that around 75 per cent of any job losses that result from closures will be among young people aged 16 to 24; a group already struggling with higher levels of unemployment than older cohorts.”
Lido gets green light on £5m upgrade ALLIANCE Leisure has been given the go-ahead by West Berkshire Council to start work on the redevelopment of the Lido at Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury. The £5million proposal was given the thumbs up following extensive consultation with local people on how they would like to see their Lido developed and updated. Without this investment, the lido would have been at risk of closure as it needs important structural work. Residents favoured the creation of a 50 metre Olympic sized pool, which will be developed alongside additional water play features for children and young people. The investment is projected to increase usage from the current levels of 15 to 20,000 visits per annum to more than 50,000 across the six-month opening period. An outdoor pool has existed on the site since 1870. In 1914, it was extended and then in 1937 it was completely rebuilt, at which point the 72-metre pool was thought to be the largest pool in the south of England. Councillor Howard Woollaston, West Berkshire’s executive member for leisure and culture, said: “The Lido is steeped in history and has provided happy memories for many
generations of local residents. “It is an integral part of our landscape and through this £5million investment we intend to ensure it remains so for many years to come.” Unlike more modern pools the Newbury Lido is affected by ground water levels, which over the years has undermined the integrity of the structure and requires constant
maintenance. To be able to inspect the pool and carry out any maintenance, the pool must be emptied, a procedure which can only be carried out when ground water levels are low. In past years this has meant the opening date for the summer season has been decided by the water table level, often meaning a reduced
operating season. The £5million investment by West Berkshire Council will include the introduction of an underground tank to control pool water levels. The length of the main pool will be reduced from 72 metres to 50 metres and the pool depth will be reduced from a maximum of 2.8 metres to a consistent 1.5metres, lowering the pressure on the structure and easing maintenance demands. These changes will ensure that people can enjoy an extended opening season from Easter through to Autumn. In addition to these structural improvements and the redesigned 50 metre pool, there will be a number of new facilities including a splash pad and toddler pool, beach hut style changing rooms, lockers, a sun terrace and a relaxation area with excellent accessibility throughout. “The investment will support an increase in annual visitors from 20,000 to 50,000, creating a sustainable future for one of the UK’s oldest and most loved outdoor pools,” added Greg Walker, business development manager at Alliance Leisure. Works began in May and are due to complete in the summer of 2023.
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