LEON TAYLOR
Olympic Medallist, Speaker, Coach, Mentor, Author, BBC Commentator, Active IQ Alumni
ABOUT BEYOND GOLD
ELEVATE YOUR FUTURE
Encourage athletes to think about what comes next after their sports careers and the importance of having a plan in place.
The ‘Beyond Gold’ campaign is designed to motivate athletes to envision a future beyond their sporting achievements. As we celebrate the 2024 Olympics, we want athletes to consider developing career skills alongside their athletic ambitions and to prepare for a fulfilling life after their professional sports careers.
Active IQ’s Beyond Gold campaign is championing qualifications in fitness and physical activity that are designed to equip you with the skills needed for a successful career, both during and after your time in sport. Whether it’s coaching, personal training, or even something entirely different, qualifications open doors to new opportunities.
- Leon Taylor
news & trends
Finalists announced for the ukactive Awards 2024
ukactive has revealed the finalists for its ukactive Awards 2024, with operators, suppliers, individuals and industry organisations nominated in 14 categories.
This year’s categories include new additions, with the Outstanding Leadership Award now separated into two individual awards; one for an Outstanding Individual Leader and the other for an Outstanding Leadership Team.
The judging process for the awards has been led by Proinsight, an independent organisation using experienced industry professionals who will assess each entry.
The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Thursday 3 October 2024.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “This year we have seen the ukactive Awards reach a new level of competitiveness, giving our judges their toughest task yet to choose from such a fantastic range of entries and nominations.
“The ukactive Awards are the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work that individuals, organisations and partners do every day to keep the nation active and healthy and we can’t wait to welcome as many people as possible to celebrate with us on the night.”
Among the awards is the Jan Spaticchia Special Recognition Award. This year there are three finalists: Carolyn Hallam, Health and Wellbeing Manager, Serco;Sarah Roberts, Head of Fitness, PFP Leisure; and Tara Dillon – CEO, CIMSPA.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this publication and WellNation accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. Opinions expressed by the contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and we do not accept responsibility of losses or damages arising from them. Printed
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in October 2024
news & trends
Gym Group sees revenues jump by 9%
The Gym Group saw membership numbers grow to 905,000 by the end of June 2024, up from 850,000 at the end of 2023.
Announcing its pre-close trading update, the group said revenue had increased by 12% in the first six months of the year (to £112.1m) when compared to the first half of 2023 (£99.8m).
Average revenue per member per month (ARPMM) for the same period increased by 9% – up to £20.44 from £18.81 the year before. Like-for-like revenue also grew 9% year on year. Net debt stood at £54.6 million at 30 June, compared with £66.4 million at the end of the financial year 2023.
The group opened four new gyms during the first six months of 2024, taking the total to 237. In addition, it is in the fit-out stage of the next four sites, which are set to open shortly.
The company remains on track to open a total of 10-12 new gyms by the year end.
According to Will Orr, CEO, the positive trading trends
Will Orr said the group’s strategic plan was working
were a confirmation that it’s strategy “was working”.
Orr said: “We’re making encouraging progress with our strategic priorities under our Next Chapter growth plan, delivering good growth in membership and yield.
“We have further strengthened
our financial position while stepping up our opening programme in line with our target to open 50 highquality sites over the next three years, funded from free cash flow.
“After a strong first half, we expect to deliver full year results at the higher end of market expectations.”
CoverMe partners with IDEA to enter US market
CoverMe Fitness has partnered with IDEA Health & Fitness Association to provide its range of fitness solutions to the US market.
The CoverMe app, which is already used by operators in the UK – including Virgin Active, Fitness First, Lift Brands and Serco – recently launched in Australia and made its US debut at the 2024 IDEA World Convention in July.
The app connects physical activity and fitness professionals – from group fitness instructors, personal trainers, yoga teachers and sports coaches to swim instructors – with venues and operators. It has been designed to allow fitness professionals to boost their profiles, expand their networks and increase their earnings. The integrated system has been designed to ensure compliance and enhanced communication.
CoverMe connects fitness professionals with operators
The training will upskill practicing instructors to teach Pilates reformer
Balanced Body partners with Ten to deliver Pilates group reformer training
Balanced Body has teamed up with Ten Health and Fitness as its UK delivery partner for the programme of Pilates group reformer training it launched earlier this year.
The Group Reformer for Fitness Professionals training has been designed specifically to upskill practising instructors to teach Pilates reformer.
The programme focuses on teaching all the fundamental Pilates techniques to fitness instructors, skills and progressions to deliver engaging and results-driven group reformer classes, while also allowing for and encouraging instructor creativity.
“The collaboration is a nobrainer,” said Joy Puleo, Director of Education at Balanced Body.
“Ten Health & Fitness is a brand associated with Pilates excellence. The brand’s 11 studios in and around London already showcase our Allegro and Allegro 2 reformers and has a long-standing and respected
own-brand education programme.
That’s why the company is perfectly positioned to deliver our new education offering. As the surge in popularity of group reformer Pilates continues, this partnership will help to plug the current gap between the demand and supply of educated instructors.
“Our training is built within a framework that enables fitness instructors to adapt sessions to reflect the needs and preferences of their bespoke community without compromising the quality of the instruction or the principles on which Pilates is built. This course is an accessible route into reformer Pilates instruction that fully aligns to our established incumbent Pilates reformer instructor education offering and delivers certification equivalent to the completion of Levels 1 and 2 (of the 3 Levels in our comprehensive training.)
The first Balanced Body reformer Pilates course took place at Ten Health & Fitness, Notting Hill.
An artist’s impression of the plans
£4.6 million revamp for Northcroft Leisure Centre
Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury is set for a major transformation as a result of a £4.6 million investment from West Berkshire Council.
The investment will allow a number of improvements at the centre, including:
● A larger gym with new equipment
● A new dedicated indoor cycling studio
● Dedicated gym changing rooms
● A larger and improved soft play area
● A new café
Work on the upgrades are expected to start in September, with full completion predicted for June 2025.
The project will be completed in stages, and the gym will be the first of the facilities to be refurbished, with plans to reopen in early 2025. The gym will be temporarily relocated to the sports hall while works are underway.
Northcroft Leisure Centre is managed by Everyone Active, in partnership with West Berkshire Council, and is already a popular facility – with the recently refurbished lido being a particular favourite.
Richard May, contract manager for Everyone Active, said: “We are grateful to West Berkshire Council for their investment in Northcroft Leisure Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity to give the centre a new lease of life and not only enhance the current facilities, but also create new offerings that cater to all corners of the community.”
PHOTO: BODY BALANCE
PHOTO: WEST BERKSHIRE COUNCIL
news & trends
Active IQ launches technical qualifications
Active IQ has announced the launch of four new technical qualifications with approved funding from the Department for Education (DfE).
The new courses are:
● Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in Personal Training
● Level 3 Technical Specialist in Sports Massage Therapy
● Level 3 Technical Specialist in Optimising Training for the Ageing Client
● Level 3 Technical Specialist in Adapting Physical Activity for Antenatal and Postnatal Clients.
According to Active IQ, an Ofqualrecognised awarding organisation for the physical activity sector, the development of the qualifications is “crucial for addressing growing needs within the industry” and the changing profile of the population.
Government figures show that the number of people aged 60 or over is expected to pass the 20 million mark by 2030. At the same time, recent statistics show that
64% of women with young children have experienced anxiety related to exercise
64% of pregnant women or women with children under one year have experienced nervousness or anxiety related to physical activity.
Both of these areas were deemed to require specialised skills to ensure that professionals are wellequipped to provide essential and
tailored services. Active IQ said the launch of the new qualifications reflects the way the organisation is consistently gathering feedback and insights from industry stakeholders, ensuring that qualifications are not only current but aligned with the evolving nature of the fitness sector.
Mablethorpe’s £13.5m leisure centre opens to public
Station Leisure & Learning Centre, a new £13.5 million leisure centre with swimming pool and health club, has opened in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire. The facility has been delivered by East Lindsey District Council and will be operated by Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure & Culture. The council secured Government funding through the Town Deal, supported by the Connected Coast Board which oversees the delivery of the Towns Fund in Mablethorpe and Skegness. Construction started in March last year and the multi-functional community development, designed by lead architects, Pozzoni, was managed by Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework, owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, with ISG as principle building contractor.
The centre will be kitted out with Freemotion’s latest CV and strength equipment
Fusion partners with Freemotion Fitness to kit out its centres
Fusion Lifestyle, the parent company of Active Life, has signed a partnership deal with fitness equipment provider, Freemotion Fitness, as part of plans to “transform the gym experience” across its centres.
The first Fusion-operated site to have been kitted out by Freemotion as part of the deal is Kingsmead Pools & Fitness in Canterbury, Kent – a centre which is undergoing a £8m redevelopment project.
Members at Kingsmead will have access to Freemotion’s latest CV machines, which enable users to load workouts using Google Maps and virtually transport users to exotic locations while helping them achieve their fitness goals. At the touch of a button, members can choose to cycle around the Bahamas, run the Boston Marathon, or climb Mount Everest to base camp.
In addition, users can also choose from a library of more than 18,000 workouts available on the iFIT
platform. In addition to Freemotion’s CV equipment, the gym will also feature destination spaces for personal fitness and small group training, with Freemotion’s GENESIS DS strength machines taking centre stage.
Freemotion’s team has been tasked with creating a gym that delivers a wow factor at every stage, from the cardio-vascular machines to free weights and stretching spaces.
Richard Allan, Operations Director at Fusion Lifestyle, said: “We’re delighted to announce our partnership with Freemotion, one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative names in health and fitness, to power our new look gym.
“The new fitness equipment we’ll be installing will be some of the most innovative, immersive and inclusive available, helping all our members achieve their fitness goals.”
Freemotion is the commercial equipment division of global fitness giant, iFIT Health and Fitness.
Works will be ready by September
North Herts leisure centres to receive
£1.1million upgrades
A £1.1m refurbishment project is underway to transform three leisure centres in North Hertfordshire.
North Herts Leisure Centre, Royston Leisure Centre and Hitchin Swimming and Fitness Centre will undergo major works in the coming months which will include a gym refurbishment and the addition of new exercise studios.
Everyone Active, which operates the centres on behalf of North Herts Council, announced that the project will unfold in planned stages which have been funded from a combined Everyone Active and North Herts Council capital fund.
All improvements are set for completion by early September, culminating in a series of free, celebratory open events to unveil the changes to the public.
The £750,000 major refurbishment at North Herts Leisure Centre began with structural changes to the gym area, repurposing an old office and storage area to create additional gym space.
The refurbished gym will see the introduction of Life Fitness cardio equipment including arc trainers, cross trainers, rowers and treadmills, as well as a host of advanced resistance equipment including a dual pulley, lat pulldown, chest, shoulder and leg presses, a half rack and a smith machine.
PHOTO: EVERYONE ACTIVE/NORTH HERTS DC
People news
David Stalker joins Active IQ as adviser to drive growth
Fitness industry veteran, David Stalker, has joined Active IQ as an independent adviser.
Stalker, currently the President of EuropeActive, will provide strategic consultancy, support Active IQ’s growth plans and represent Active IQ within external industry engagement. He will also focus on improving quality standards in the fitness sector.
Active IQ is an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation specialising
Future Fit appoints Andy King as associate director
Future Fit has appointed industry veteran Andy King as Associate Director of its Future Fit for Business arm.
In his new role, King will be responsible for supporting initiatives that align with Future Fit for Businesses’ broader vision of supporting the development of the sector. His focus will be on enhancing collaboration between leisure services, national organisations and health and social care, fostering workforce development, and creating innovative solutions tailored to client needs.
King is the former CEO of multiple leisure trusts and current Chair of GM Active. In his previous roles, King has worked closely with Future Fit for Business on a number of projects, including during the pandemic, when Future Fit supported GM Active operators to stay in touch and upskill their teams. In addition, King supported Future Fit and fellow industry leader, John Oxley, in the creation of the renowned Transformational Leadership Programme, which aims to steer the transition from being
‘fitness and facilities’ managers to becoming future leaders of public health, wellbeing and communities.
Speaking on his appointment, Andy said “the Future Fit for Business team impressed me with their ‘let’s just do it’ philosophy that was not without risk, yet they had the courage to crack on. I can only work with people who exhibit complete trust and honesty and want to make a tangible, measurable difference and the team have demonstrated these qualities consistently with GM Active.”
in the physical activity sector.
“As our industry gains momentum in becoming a recognised solution to public health problems, driving standards is more important than ever,” Stalker said.
“Active IQ plays a core role in this mission and I’m thrilled to work alongside the organisation to support our collective mission of improving the quality of education and standards in the industry.”
Leisure development specialist, Alliance Leisure, has achieved an Investors In People Gold Award.
The award is in recognition of the company’s commitment to its people and the provision of “a working environment that supports success and prosperity”.
According to Sarah Watts, CEO, Alliance Leisure, the award highlights how, despite growing significantly over the last few years, the company continues to place the welfare of its people “at the very heart of the business”.
“Our team is what gives Alliance its unique DNA,” Watts said.
David Stalker
Andy King
PHOTO: ACTIVE IQ
PHOTO: GM ACTIVE
PHOTO:
Andy Salmon: swimming can deliver government’s goals
Swim England chief executive, Andy Salmon, has outlined how swimming can help the new Labour government deliver on some of its key policy missions.
Salmon said swimming should be at the heart of a push towards a preventative health care system – while also improving the UK’s productivity levels through improving the health of those in work.
Speaking following Labour’s victory in last month’s General Election, Salmon said: “The Labour manifesto stated: ‘Prevention will always be better, and cheaper, than a cure – and we must take preventative public health measures to tackle the biggest killers and support people to live longer, healthier lives’.
“We at Swim England agree and are eager to collaborate on the agenda to improve public health and deliver economic growth.
“We believe that swimming is integral to this mission, playing a pivotal role in reducing productivity loss through ill health and building a healthier future.
“Our Value of Swimming report showed that swimming prevents almost 80,000 cases of ill health annually and has the potential to do so much more.
“It can help people to lead happier, healthier lives and, in turn, enhance the economic productivity we need to enable the investment in, and maintenance of, swimming facilities across the nation.
“By investing in these resources, we can create jobs, stimulate local economies and, most importantly, nurture a healthier, more active population – and we will be making this case.
“We know that swimming is much more than just a sport – it is a powerful preventive healthcare tool. Regular swimming can help prevent and manage a wide range of health conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders.
“By promoting swimming as a cornerstone of public health, we can significantly reduce the burden on the NHS.”
news & trends
The centre will have a 25-metre pool
Plans approved to replace ageing
Leeds leisure centre
Plans to transform an ageing leisure centre into a sports and wellbeing hub have been approved by members of Leeds City Council’s north and east plans panel. Fearnville Leisure Centre in Gipton – which dates back to the 1980s – will now be replaced with a new facility built on part of King George V Playing Fields, the 28-acre green space where the current leisure centre is housed.
Facilities in the new hub will include a 25-metre main pool, learner pool and water splash pads, a 120-station gym, indoor cycling studio, family changing village, soft play area, party rooms and a café. Outdoor facilities will include a full-size synthetic grass pitch and the plans also include treeplanting and soft landscaping to increase the site’s biodiversity, with insects, birds and other wildlife giving people fresh opportunities to get in touch with nature. Work is expected to start on site early in the new year and take around 18 months to complete.
The existing centre will remain open while the new one is built, before being demolished once construction is complete. It is hoped the new site will encourage more take-up among residents in Gipton and Harehills and Killingbeck and Seacroft – wards which suffer from low life expectancy.
Xplor Mariana Tek launches in-app gamification for fitness studios
Xplor Mariana Tek has launched a suite of gamification tools for fitness and wellness studios.
The new gamification features are designed to help studios excite and motivate their members to reach new fitness goals with in-studio challenges and automatic, in-app tracking of goals, streaks and milestones.
With the move, Xplor Mariana Tek –a boutique fitness software platform from Xplor Technologies – looks to harness the power of gamification, enabling studio members to celebrated reaching milestones or achieving goals with a system that provides feedback and recognition for effort.
The new gamification suite includes:
• Unlimited milestones allowing studios to set unique targets
• Personal goals which are automatically tracked in-app
• Streaks, enabling consumers to set a goal for how many classes they will attend each week and then being rewarded for consistency
• Challenges, which have been designed to make people feel like they are “part of something bigger”
Shannon Tracey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Xplor Mariana Tek at Xplor Technologies, said: “Every successful studio recognises the power of shared experiences.
“Challenges are an effective way to bring your community together while working towards your personal goals. For the consumer, it’s incredibly motivating and allows them to up their workout frequency and build new routines.
“For studios, it’s a way to build brand sentiment and really solidify the power of community. We’re always seeking new ways to bring consumers closer to our studios and help them motivate their community outside of the studio.”
Xplor Mariana Tek powers thousands of fitness and wellness studio locations across the UK, U.S., and Canada, with plans to expand into Europe and Australasia soon.
PHOTO:
The gamification features are designed to help studios excite members
PHOTO: LEEDS CITY COUNCIL
Raising standards in personal training
Jenny Patrickson Managing Director Active IQ
The debate around the standards of personal training has once again risen to the forefront in industry discussion, with plenty of discourse in the run-up to (and during) the recent Elevate event. Active IQ is committed to raising standards in the industry, and these conversations are vitally important, so it is great to see people talking about these workforce issues.
COLLABORATION
For me, the key point to stress is that it’s the responsibility of everyone in our industry to work together to initiate change. The ecosystem is complex, with multiple stakeholders, and only
when we come together and act collectively as an industry, can we have an impact.
Yes, standards are varied across all areas, from awarding bodies, to training providers, through to employer CPD programmes, but at Active IQ, we have a robust quality assurance strategy and work in close partnership with our training providers to ensure the highest standards are maintained. The operators employing fitness professionals also have an important role – they must vet the qualifications and awarding body of the fitness professionals they are looking to hire.
One thing I believe has always been missing from our sector is a focus on the people taking
The onus is not only on the individual to upskill, but operators and employers must invest in their staff and build in time for teams to upskill
qualifications and educating them around what they should be looking for in a top-quality training provider. This work has started, with CIMSPA’s ‘More than…’ campaign and our Active IQ campaign ‘The Difference I Make’, but more can and should be done.
I’ve also seen all of the debate around the growth of online teaching and the impact this has on quality. Whilst there are certain elements of teaching, learning and assessment that should always be in person, we should be careful though not to vilify remote and online learning – some elements of learning lend themselves to that kind of delivery. For example, with anatomy and physiology, the online possibilities are engaging and potentially more effective than in a classroom. It cannot be denied though, that practical elements must be practiced on real people and learners need real life practical experience in delivery and assessment.
The discussion doesn’t end with initial qualifications, this is just the start of the journey. Fitness, like many other industries, should be pushing continuous professional development and encouraging our fitness professionals to continue to add to their skills. The onus is not only on the individual to upskill, but operators and employers must invest in their staff
and build in time for teams to upskill. Our Active IQ Skills Hub is a free CPD platform made available to all our training providers, their teams, and learners, so resources like this should be maximised.
THE FUTURE
It’s time to look forward and collaborate as an industry to drive change. The debate has brought this topic to the forefront and I am confident this is just the start of ensuring the standards in the sector are improved across the board and our industry remains on an upward trajectory.
A core part of our strategy at Active IQ, is bringing together leaders across our sector to discuss how we can improve standards, ensuring we dig deep into understanding the barriers to CPD, and the recent appointment of David Stalker as an independent advisor is central to this.
I would encourage operators to look at regulated qualifications and for awarding bodies and training providers, including ourselves here at Active IQ, to prioritise better information for those looking to enroll in a training course on what constitutes a high-quality education experience.
news & trends
Free NHS fitness platform seeks leisure partners to champion growth
DoingOurBit, a free-to-participate, one-stop shop for fitness, health and wellness for NHS and social care staff, is calling on leisure sector businesses and individuals to “do their bit” to champion its next stage of growth and future-proof its services. Launched three years ago to support NHS staff during the first 2020 Covid pandemic, DoingOurBit has recently formed a not-for-profit company, relaunched its platform and created an App for users. Its next goal is to offer in-person sessions at leisure centres and gyms before embarking on a series of activities designed to improve the health of the 1.4 million NHS and social care workers who, among them, are responsible for the nation’s wellbeing.
DoingOurBit is the largest ‘free to participate’ portal providing a blueprint for improved wellbeing of workers across the UK that aims to provide content, classes and a community. DoingOurBit is focused on driving forward the preventative
health movement through free access to physical activity sessions and mental wellbeing resources.
So far, more than 140 healthcare employers have registered with DoingOurBit, giving around 750,000 NHS and Social Care staff access to the updated platform and new App.
Having free in-person activities and community-based activities will help to engage many more of the NHS and social care workforce.
DoingOurBit is now looking for further support from the leisure sector to scale up its services. At the outset in March 2020, three founding partners – Active IQ, fibodo and Study Active – pledged their help to DoingOurBit’s founder, Julie Davis. Their support enabled DoingOurBit to evolve and grow..
Davis said: “When I came up with the idea to help my NHS and social care colleagues manage during the pandemic, I couldn’t have imagined how far the DoingOurBit platform would come.”
The scheme is aimed at older adults
Trial looks how tech can boost wellbeing of older residents
A research project to see how technology can boost the wellbeing of older residents has been launched in East Sussex. The Living Lab aims to look at whether the use of digital technology can help improve the physical and mental wellbeing of elderly adults. Placing the people who will use – and benefit – from the technology at the centre of the project, The Living Lab will look to integrate new research and processes into real-life communities and settings. The project was launched at a sheltered housing facility in Peacehaven, following the installation of an interactive digital games table in the residents’ lounge. Through interactive light projections, residents can experience physical, social, and cognitive activities at the ‘Magic Table’ such as solving puzzles, playing games together and enjoying tactile challenges. Clients can also opt to have heat sensor fall monitors installed in their apartments or try a sports smartwatch to monitor their health. In addition, the project includes VR headsets which offer residents “virtual day trips” and experiences. It is hoped the technology will also help ease the pressure felt by carers, by providing talking points and encouraging interaction between clients and carers.
PHOTO:
news & trends
BAM appointed for £23.9m Larkhall Leisure Centre
South West Scotland Limited and South Lanarkshire Council have appointed BAM Construction as the Tier 1 Contractor for the new £23.9m Larkhall Leisure Centre.
BAM will be supported by Holmes Miller Architects, Blyth and Blyth consulting engineers, and Wallace Whittle environmental building services on the project.
The project team has been tasked with achieving Passivhaus standards to meet energy efficiencies which will provide significant carbon and revenue savings for the new Larkhall Leisure Centre.
Shaun Sands, Programme Director, hub South West Scotland Limited: said: “We look forward to working with the community in developing this new state of the art leisure facility that will also work towards achieving the council’s net zero targets.”
Following the appointment of BAM Construction, enabling work is scheduled to get underway in spring 2025 with the main
construction work commencing in late 2025 and completing in 2027.
Alison Brown, the council’s head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development, added: “We have secured funding to construct the new leisure facility and now that the project team has been formally appointed,
they will be looking at opportunities to maximise the space within the available budget, which will be subject to engagement with the local community in the coming months.”
Jim Ward, Regional Director, BAM, added: “We will deliver a quality project for the community of Larkhall.”
Parkwood marks a successful year following £200k investment
Parkwood Health and Fitness Salisbury, the flagship health club, managed by Legacy Leisure, is proud to report a year of success and remarkable growth following significant investment.
The 25,000-square-foot, two-story facility located in the heart of Salisbury in Wiltshire has solidified its position as a cornerstone of the local community, with the club now servicing more than 3,000 members. Having opened the centre in 2007, Parkwood transformed the space into a key facility within the local area.
Throughout 2023, Parkwood completed over £200k worth of upgrades, to rejuvenate the centre and solidify its position as a premium health and fitness space. The centre has made significant upgrades –such as Life Fitness equipment and ICG Cycling bikes – to enhance the experience.
PHOTO: PARKWOOD LEISURE
Work is scheduled to get underway in spring 2025 PHOTO:
The facility has a pool, spa & health suite
Out on 1 August, Leisure DB’s State of the UK
Swimming Industry Report 2024 provides an unparalleled overview of this vital sector. With expert commentary, interviews and advice throughout – plus a full breakdown of pool numbers and locations, openings and closures, public and private sector leaders, fees, facilities and more – we’ve made this must-read report free to read.
Join us as we democratise data across the sector. Dive in at leisuredb.com/publications and enjoy all our flagship reports for FREE.
Number of pools is falling The state of swimming report:
Leisure DB’s State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2024, published on 1 August, shows that demand for swimming remains high, but there are fewer pools to meet that demand
The UK’s swimming pool stock continues to shrink, with the number of public and private facilities with pools decreasing by 2% in the 12 months to 31 March 2024. In total, there were 4,272 swimming pools on 31 March 2024 – compared to 4,351 the year before.
These are the topline findings of the State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2024, compiled by market intelligence expert Leisure DB and published on 1 August (the full report is available to read, for free, at www.leisuredb.com/publications).
Both public and private sectors experienced the same percentage fall (-2%) in the number of sites with pools, compared to March 2023. This contrasts with the previous year’s data, where the drop was more marked in the private (down to 1,309 from 1,344) than in the public sector (down to 1,646 from 1,664).
The demand for both casual swim and swim lessons remains strong, according to the operator interviews woven throughout the report. Operationally, many operators comment on a return to “business as more-or-less normal” following the pandemic, with “a shift back to more traditional peak times” in a sector that is “still very buoyant” both for casual swim and swim lessons.
The average public sector pay-per swim fee has also reached a record high, while in the private sector, Nuffield Health reports a 70 per cent higher lifetime spend among adults who take swim lessons. Yet the backdrop is a continued steady decline in pool stock.
VIEWS FROM THE POOLSIDE
“The national picture is concerning,” confirms Mark Haslam of Places Leisure in his interview.
“Pools are disappearing rapidly, with local authorities often lacking the funds to build new ones. Closures are outweighing new openings and forecasts suggest the number of UK facilities will halve by 2029.”
GLL’s Andrew Clark adds: “We’re seeing some new facility projects costing £30–40m. As a result, two pools are closing for every new pool opened, leading to a net loss of water space.”
Operators and suppliers throughout the report share their advice on optimising pool capacity, maximising yield and driving efficiencies, as well as sharing details of initiatives to re-grow the UK’s pool stock.
“We must also challenge ourselves to review how we position our pools,” says Leisure DB founder David Minton in his foreword, pointing to the likes of GLL, which is focusing its pool operations
There are now 4,272 swimming pools in the UK
around health and water safety. ‘Leisure’ feels like a choice. ‘Health’ feels essential,” explains Clark.
Swim England’s Andy Salmon adds:“Swimming is facing some significant challenges, but some even greater opportunities. The glass is more than half full. 2023 research by Swim England shows that swimming generates £2.4bn of social value in England each year and prevents more than 78,500 cases of ill health. That includes more than 22,000 cases of diabetes and 2,500 cases of dementia. It saves the NHS over £209m a year.
“I’m really excited by this – by the role swimming can play in the health of the nation – and keen to accelerate this work via social prescribing, for example, which is growing fast and a very interesting opportunity. All physical activity is beneficial, but I speak to so many medical professionals who point to the unique value of swimming in particular as a non-weight bearing activity.
“I’m also focused on better communicating these benefits, making a strong case to government to keep existing pools open and replace ageing stock. “speaking with one voice is key to this agenda, which is why the new spirit of collaboration in the sector is so important.”
CRUCIAL DATA
‘Leisure’ feels like a choice.
‘Health’ feels essential
With expert commentary, interviews and advice throughout – plus a full breakdown of pool numbers and locations, openings and closures, public and private sector leaders, fees, facilities and more – the State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2024 makes for a fascinating read.
“Our thanks go to all our expert commentators and, of course, to our partners who have enabled us to share this fantastic report for free,” says David Minton.
“At Leisure DB, we have a vision of a robust aquatics industry that’s powered by the democratisation of data. It’s why we’re freely sharing this report, to help inform better decisions and put this vital sector back on a strong footing.”
news & trends
Public consultation for Bury St Edmunds centre
Residents in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, are to be given the chance to help shape a multi-million pound investment in the town’s leisure centre.
Councillors at West Suffolk Council voted in favour of additional funding subject to a public consultation on improving the centre.
Any investment will be on top of a £6.2m capital programme for maintenance at the centre, already agreed by the council.
The council will now work with Abbeycroft Leisure – which manages the centre on its behalf – to seek views on the changes that current and future users of the centre and councillors want to see. The council will then work to fix the costs for delivering those improvements before reporting back to Cabinet and Council to decide the investment.
Redevelopment options currently being considered for centre include:
● A new café and soft play through the conversion of the leisure pool space
● The creation of a splash pad
The council voted in favour of additional funding
● A refurbishment of the cubicle area as well as refurbishment of the poolside shower and toilets
● The creation of a health and wellbeing area, with the addition of eight treatment rooms along with the refurbishment of an existing studio
● The refurbishment of the gym
and creation of a dedicated indoor cycling studio
● The refurbishment and enhancement of the health suite area
● Refurbishment of the sports hall including a new timber floor.
A public survey will be launched in the near future.
CLUK and Richmond Group team up to help charities
Community Leisure UK (CLUK) and The Richmond Group of Charities (RGC) have joined forces to better support charitable trusts and social enterprises that offer programmes for people with long-term health conditions.
The informal partnership will see CLUK members support RGC’s physical activity work, including flagship campaign “We Are Undefeatable”–which aims to inspire and support people with long-term conditions to move in ways that work for them. We Are Undefeatable was developed by RGC in partnership with mental health charity Mind and MS Society and is backed by Sport England. CLUK members will also contribute to the knowledge bank of We Are Undefeatable with examples of activities to support people with long-term health conditions in being more active. The scheme will help people with long-term health conditions
EXPLORING HYROX
HYROX has successfully built a community around its events
HYROX is a competitive, indoor ��tness event combining running with functional exercises.
WellNation spoke to Pocket Rocket Academy Tutor, Andy Phillips, who competed at a recent HYROX event in Leeds to ��nd out what the hype is all about
HYROX bills itself as “The World Series of Fitness Racing” and has become hugely popular in a number of countries. Each competition is made up of a 1km run followed by one functional workout, repeated eight times. In other words, contestants run a total of 8km and complete 8 functional workouts. The format requires strength and speed, as well as power and endurance, making it a great test of overall fitness.
Andy Phillips is a specialist strength and fitness coach, who helps clients across the globe to achieve structure while improving and developing their skills. With a background in Olympic weightlifting Philips has continued to compete in the discipline, competing at the World Masters Championships, and achieved Bronze at the European Masters Championships.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE PART IN HYROX?
It was literally by accident that I managed to get a free ticket, to be honest! Someone I knew was due to take part in the Men’s Individual Competition, but was injured, so I was given the opportunity to take his place at the last minute. I had become intrigued by the monster that is HYROX as it seems to be consuming the fitness industry and I wanted to find out what all the hype was about - so knowing that the competitions had been sold out all over the world I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved. I had just three weeks to prepare both physically and mentally, I went along with no other objective than to simply get the job done!
WHAT TRAINING DID YOU DO TO PREPARE?
This is a good question, and as a fitness tutor and coach the last thing you’d probably expect me to say is ‘not much really’ but to be completely honest, that is the truth. Although, you could argue that I have spent the last twenty years preparing - not to get ‘HYROX Fit’ - but through consistency in my training efforts over the years.
Phillips (pictured) entered his first ever HYROX competition with just three weeks to prepare
I have some good experiences in the bank; an Olympic Weightlifting Meet earlier this year and running the Leeds Marathon a few years back. Although you can’t really compare a Weightlifting Competition to doing something like HYROX, all of the training I put in over the years is really what enabled me to make that transition.
WHAT MINDSET
DID YOU
NEED GOING INTO THE COMPETITION?
I’ll always remember a great piece of advice given to me by a client - “If you can do a marathon, you can handle discomfort - and if you can handle that, then you can handle anything.” Thanks to this, I went into the competition in a more relaxed frame of mind.
I find that having a flexible mindset, especially as you get older, is really important in terms of acknowledging how things ‘feel’ both physically and mentally. At 46 years old, with family commitments and two children under the age of 10, I can’t always train as hard as I’d like to every day, so I try to be mindful of what my personal limits are, whilst maintaining a good level of movement for my own mental health.
PHOTO: POCKET ROCKET
My advice to anyone taking on a physical challenge such as HYROX, would be to grab what ever movement you can, when you can!
My advice to anyone taking on a physical challenge such as HYROX, would be to grab whatever movement you can, when you can! If you can’t get into the gym, go for a long walk, do some weeding in the garden or do something, anything, that involves moving your body.
Consistency is a key component of my mindset; even through injury I have always continued to move in some way, shape or form. This has given me a much larger ‘tool box’ to pick from over the years.
“You’ve only got so many heartbeats so you have to make each one count”.
HOW DID THE COMPETITION GO?
There are around 50+ HYROX events taking place around the world this year
HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU PERFORMED ON THE DAY?
I’ve always loved being a part of something, and being involved in activities alongside other people - so for me, HYROX was an exciting challenge that enabled me to benchmark against some of the top athletes.
During the competition, I was aware of every feeling; understanding how my body felt in different scenarios and learning where I could push on where I’m really giving it my all.
At some points I realised I was playing it safe, and so my splits on the run got quicker as the event progressed, purely based on how I was feeling at the time. I then crashed and burned on the seven minute wall balls….
According to HYROX - the average finishing time last season was 1h 32mins. However, the race has no time limit: some finishers take 3 hours, while Hunter McIntyre and Mikaela Norman hold the HYROX world records at 55 and 60 minutes respectively.
I completed the race in 1h 26mins, so not having trained any of the transitions and with no prior experience whatsoever, I was happy to still be standing and feeling good at the end of it all! I could sleep well knowing that I’d given it my all and better still made my kids proud (and could still win against a four-year-old in a rolled-up paper sword fight).
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF THROUGHOUT THE HYROX PROCESS?
Like most challenges in life, at first it is not easy, but the more you do something the easier that something becomes. I really enjoy being in the mix - being a small part of something is better than not being a part of anything at all.
I didn’t do very well academically at school but this challenge has since pushed me to understand my craft fully and this is why, as a tutor, I have learned that breaking movements down can create simplicity and greater understanding. Something I took into the HYROX competition with me. I knew that each race was made up of different components so I tackled each
The events are a combination of running and fitness challenges
PHOTOS: HYROX
bit one at a time without getting too overwhelmed by the bigger picture or completing the race. I have adopted this approach in my professional career too - from personal training with individual clients, to teaching and tutoring on a group basis. Breaking down movements into smaller, more digestible segments helps the learner to not only understand their body better, but also offers a Smörgåsbord of movements to choose from when designing a programme for clients in the future.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE PLANNING TO DO HYROX OR ANY OTHER CHALLENGE?
Find your YOU. Don’t fear failure. Each try is a success. You will learn something about yourself and the people around you - and you will adapt and bring a different version of yourself each and every time you train - and that’s ok! Lastly just give it everything you’ve got and listen to your body; if you can push - push harder and if you need to take it easy then do that.
Completing a HYROX race takes both strength and endurance
PHOTOS: HYROX
HOW SHOULD YOU APPROACH A HYROX COMPETITION?
HYROX coach, Paul Russell, offers his top 5 tips for coaches looking to enter the HYROX competition with their clients;
1
Separate, and together. The HYROX is made up of 8 very specific and defined events. Running, for example, but also wall balls. Allow for training of specific performance qualities; intervals, timed distances, and threshold sessions to increase running speed, would be nice, loaded squats, jump squats, and squat presses, to enhance wall ball speed and endurance, could be good. But also bring these together, sometimes. For example, a circuit based workout with running intervals and heavy wall balls for reps, to ensure the sum of these component parts can be managed, and familiar, when interwoven.
2
Be prepared. You might feel like you don’t completely know what you’re doing. That’s ok, there is going to be a little trial and error here. But find out what the 8 stations are, watch videos of past events, attend one if possible, find some trusted sources of information, write out your plan, and expect to put in a lot more time and effort than you think will be needed. But also, be prepared for things not working, not going to plan, not being possible, and needing to change for endless different reasons.
3
Little by little the bird builds its nest. This old French proverb lends itself very nicely to the nature in which the body makes physiological adaptations. With this in mind, certainly expose your athlete to the full myriad of stresses that will drive the adaptations you have identified as necessary for competition - but do it gradually, over time; little by little.
4
Organise your training plan into blocks. This will allow you to review, reflect, adapt, modify, manage, and progress accordingly, and at regular intervals. Training blocks also sound exciting, important, exotic even, and can enhance your athlete’s experience, promoting buy-in.
5 Your programme is important, your athlete is more important. Your relationship with the athlete must be one built on trust, and open, honest communication, and this takes time, but also vulnerability. The better the environment and experience you create, the better the relationship will be, and the better they will perform. If a programme needs rewriting that might take a few hour’s, but a relationship that isn’t working can take weeks, months, even longer sometimes, to repair. Don’t be precious, hostile, all knowing, work with them, not against them. Finally, enjoy yourself, but also fully embrace this opportunity to challenge yourself, and learn from and about yourself. If you’re exposing your athlete to difficulty and discomfort, it’s quite right you expose yourself to some of that too. If you’re coming from a traditional gym based training background, here’s a lovely statement to provoke you into some difficult and uncomfortable thinking from coach Mike Boyle: “If you describe your workouts by body part there’s a good chance you shouldn’t be training athletes.”
Paul Russel (left) is an experienced HYROX coach
PHOTO: POCKET ROCKET
Kettlebells have become a popular method of training for both elite athletes and gym members. But did you know it is also a competitive sport? WellNation speaks to World Champion Hannah Camden
How did you get into kettlebells?
I’ve worked in the fitness industry for 22 years and have always been passionate about strength training, including kettlebells. However, it was only during lockdown that I discovered kettlebells as a sport. A friend of mine was at an event and I spotted someone in an England jacket in one of her photos. She got his number and I called him up and asked: ‘What are you doing and how did you get there? I want to get there too.’ My motto is: Be strong, be fearless and believe anything is possible.
From then on, during lockdown, I learned about the fast-growing sport of kettlebells. I began to do weekly online training with Jonny Skinner at
Garage Fitness Project, himself a kettlebell World Champion many times over. He coached me to my first competition qualifier in Northampton.
Presumably you qualified?
Yes and went on to compete for England in my first international. The event was in Denmark in 2023 and I came away as World Champion, even though I’d been doing competition kettlebells for less than a year. I realised I’d found my thing! I set myself a goal of spreading the word across the country and beyond; the sport is traditionally bigger in the north of England than in the south. Jonny and I joined forces, rebranded to Garage FitWorks Project and started building a team – currently 12 people – for whom we create kettlebell programmes and deliver online kettlebell training. It’s all geared towards competing in kettlebell competitions.
Quite a few of our team lift for England and Scotland, but our services are available to anyone anywhere in the world.
Tell us about the competition in Poland
These were the World Kettlebell Sport Federation (WKSF) World Championships, which took place in Rzeszów, Poland, on 7–9 June. It was awesome! There were competitors from all over the world, with England bringing
I believe happiness and health are two of the most important things in life and that confronting life’s challenges makes you stronger
a fantastic team of 10 athletes. There were big crowds, TV screens, judges in suits checking your fixation as you lifted… I really had to focus on myself, on my breathing, on keeping calm, one rep at a time, not letting myself worry about what my competitors were doing, many of whom had been lifting at competition level for many years.
My event this time was double 16kg bells, so one in each hand, doing clean-and-jerks for 10 minutes. This was the first time I’d done doubles; in Denmark I did half-snatches with a single 16kg bell for 30 minutes, setting a PB [personal best] of 484 reps.
In qualifying for Poland I had done 61 reps, with the bells in the air for seven of the 10 minutes; in this event you’re allowed to put them down. My main goal for Poland was to keep the bells off the floor for the full 10 minutes, which I did, completing 80 reps – a massive PB.
I’m very happy to say I came away with a bronze medal, making me WKSF bronze medallist as well as IKMF World Champion in kettlebell sport with three gold medals.
You also run a gym called FitWorks?
I do. Located in Beaconsfield, FitWorks is a gym I opened with my business partner Pippa Lance in November 2023. Kitted out by commercial fitness specialist, Physical, it’s a gym for everyone – everything from mums-to-be to families to strongman enthusiasts – with the slogan #findyourfit. Everything is group exercise-based, not just kettlebells, and is designed to be fun.
I believe happiness and health are two of the most important things in life and that confronting life’s challenges makes you stronger. Over the
Competitions take place across the world
years, I’ve worked with many wonderful people in large groups, small groups and one-to-one and know my experiences have helped me become a stronger person and instructor.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m just trying to come back to normality after all the emotions of the competition, but I already have my sights set on my next event. I want to compete in Corfu in October, with a goal of setting a new PB: 100
reps in 10 minutes with 16kg bells. After that, I’ll move into the elite category and lift 24kg bells.
As I say, we’re also hosting our own grassroots event in the UK in September, plus I’m keen to take some of our Garage FitWorks Project team to the next set of qualifiers in Belgium. I’d like to work with Physical to help build awareness of kettlebells as a sport, too.
Kettlebells are my absolute passion and the journey so far has been incredible. I am looking forward to more adventures and meeting more people from all walks of life.
Camden with fellow world champion Jonny Skinner
