On Wednesday the Council’s Executive Board is considering recommendations, which will provide two hour a day free use at the John Charles Centre for Sport and Middleton Leisure Centre. The timeslots that have been allocated to the leisure centre free offer are mainly during the daytime and are all off-peak sessions.
At John Charles it is proposed that free activities will include gym and swimming; at the recently refurbished Middleton Leisure Centre a specific programme will be developed as it has neither a pool nor a gym.
If agreed, free use should be available from October.
This is a part of the Leeds Let’s Get Active project which aims at increasing participation in physical activity, targeted at those who are presently inactive and doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
Running alongside the free offer in leisure centres, community sport sessions such as running, walking and family-orientated activities will take place mainly in parks, while packages offering three months’ of access to council leisure centre facilities and classes for just £5 will also be available via referrals from GP practices and public health service providers.
Leeds City Council executive member for health and wellbeing Councillor Lisa Mulherin said:
“We are all really excited at what a difference Leeds Let’s Get Active will make to people’s lives.Giving people the chance to get fitter and live healthier lives is fantastic and can have long-term health benefits so we hope as many people as possible sign up and find out more about taking part.”
Leeds City Council executive member for leisure and skills Councillor Lucinda Yeadon said:
“This project is a great example of how sport and health services can come together for everyone in the city to benefit from. It will provide a real Olympic legacy for Leeds as well as helping the city in its drive to become the most active big city in England. We are very grateful to everyone involved in backing this project, especially Sport England and the National Lottery for their invaluable support.”
‘Free’. Not going to be much use if you’re at work during the day.
I think this is a great idea! Especially for the elderly population in the community and people who work shift patterns or who avoid the use of the gym / swimming pool mainly because of the financial cost of the use of the facilities. I for one live in a house where 4 people would gladly welcome this indicative!!! =]