Issue 128 - 10 February 2023
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Body Fit Training makes London debut with Battersea opening – page 3
#DoingOurBit wins national award – page 5
UKACTIVE’S pilot to transform leisure centres, swimming pools and gyms into musculoskeletal health hubs has been expanded to 100 sites across the UK as the sector grows its services for the community.
The pilot forms part of ukactive’s vision for leisure centres and gyms to play a greater role in supporting the NHS and social care services, which was outlined by Mike Farrar in his first speech as chair of ukactive recently.
He said: “Millions of people are living in pain with musculoskeletal conditions that cause major disruption to their lives.
“The fitness and leisure sector can help reduce the burden on our NHS, social care, and the economy by providing a national activity therapy service, keeping patients out of hospitals and surgeries by encouraging them to use an MSK programme at their local pool, gym or leisure centre.
“Given the right conditions and support we can scale this programme nationwide, which would have a transformative impact on our nation’s health, wellbeing, and the economy.
“This is also a fantastic opportunity for gyms and leisure centres to diversify their offer and reach many more people who can benefit from their expertise and services.”
The programme behind the pilot has been designed and provided in collaboration between GoodBoost, ukactive, Orthopaedic Research UK, ESCAPE-pain and Arthritis Action –
demonstrating how the fitness and leisure sector can work together to reduce the burden on the healthcare system.
Launched across 15 sites in 2022, the pilot will show how the programme could reduce pressure on acute healthcare services in primary and secondary settings, by managing conditions in community settings which are more easily accessible.
This month the pilot reaches its second phase, expanding to a further 85 swimming pools and leisure centres nationwide, as well as being delivered at home through an online app which provides community support virtually.
The MSK health hubs will provide exercise, rehabilitation and wellbeing support to help people maintain mobility, reduce pain, and improve the health of patients before and after surgery.
As well as support from instructors, users are given computer tablets for individually tailored online guidance for their exercises, whether in the gym or the pool.
In addition to preventing people from needing acute healthcare services, the programme reduces health inequalities by providing local, accessible, selfmanagement options.
The news comes as NHS England and the Government announce a Major Conditions Strategy, which represents an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people by tackling major conditions that lead to years of ill health.
The MSK health hubs programme is the latest example of the health value provided by the nation’s swimming pools, gyms and leisure centres, as many face the threat of permanent closure due to rising energy costs and a lack of government support.
Over the past year at least 350 leisure centres, pools and gyms across the UK either closed temporarily, permanently or made changes to their services in response to rising energy bills.
A coalition of leading bodies is calling for further support from the Energy Bills Discount Scheme to save facilities from closure or the loss of services.
BODY Fit Training, Australia’s fastestgrowing fitness franchise, is making its London debut with the launch of its first of four studios across South West London on February 18.
Located adjacent to Battersea Power Station, BFT Battersea will introduce the London fitness community to high-intensity group strength and conditioning fitness programmes.
Following the success of BFT Leicester, which launched last September, BFT continues to grow rapidly in the UK and aims to have 150 studios open in the next three years.
BFT Battersea’s state-of-the-art fitness studio is being launched by Australian franchisee Charlie Hendrie, a certified personal trainer who has lived and worked in London since 2014.
“We’re absolutely pumped to bring BFT’s first London site to Battersea,” he said.
Director of Operations: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk
Studio manager: Paul Hopkinson ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk
Assistant studio manager: Scott Firth sf@scriptmediagroup.co.uk
Sales: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmediagroup.co.uk
www.workout-uk.co.uk
“This will be the first of many BFT studios we will open within the next three years across South West London. We believe BFT offers something very
different to other boutique fitness studios and have made it our goal to create an exciting new fitness community that are inspired and truly get the results they desire – it’s a lot like personal training, but redefined.
“We aim to provide the perfect environment. We thrive on building a setting where people can build friendships and have fun whilst working out.”
BFT offers workouts based on sciencebacked programmes previously reserved for elite athletes – now made accessible for all, regardless of their fitness level. The sessions are delivered through progressive 50-minute functional strength, cardio, and conditioning-based classes across 13 different programmes.
The custom-made technology used in the studio includes a bespoke heart rate monitor system – ‘BFT³’ – which allows members to track their progress and
compare their performance to previous sessions, ensuring they are getting optimum results from each class.
“The UK fitness market is booming, and we have already seen some fantastic growth and interest since we launched our first franchise location in Leicester,” added Cameron Falloon, BFT’s founder.
“Through our strong and solid business foundations – proven with more than 230 studios and 50,000+ members globally – we feel ready to bring our world-class training programmes, practices and education to every major town and city.
“With more people aspiring to a healthier and more active lifestyle, we believe now is the perfect time to expand our network and make professional training accessible to the everyday person. We’re aiming to open 150 sites over the next three years and to have a presence right across the UK.”
IAN Hendrie has been appointed the managing director of 1Life, replacing Mark Braithwaite who leaves after eight years with the business.
Steve Bambury has been appointed chief operating officer, moving from the role of commercial director, while chairman Julian Nicholls will also assume a more hands-on and clientfacing role in 2023.
1Life manages 14 leisure and sports facilities, as well as a number of private gyms.
Ian, who was previously the company’s chief financial officer, said: “Having managed to negotiate our way through the pandemic and the current winter energy crisis we are now at a position where we can reassess the strategic direction of the business while maintaining its
core purpose.
“We have a great team in the business and have well established and supportive relationships with our client base.”
2023 will see 1Life continue to focus on working towards Net Zero.
It will also see the leisure provider develop its list of services, including its successful swim school programme for children and adults and Aspiring Athletes, which supports aspiring young sporting stars with the help of Team GB stars Max Whitlock OBE and Tom Dean MBE as brand ambassadors. Steve added: “Ian and I have been working together in business for several years and look forward to continuing to drive the business forward in the year ahead.
“We fully understand what makes it successful from a participation perspective as well as commercially successful while continuing to put our communities at the heart of all we do. We have some exciting things planned for 2023.”
HORIZON Leisure has made a number of senior leadership appointments including its CEO, a new commercial director and a new marketing lead.
The award-winning not-for-profit organisation, operating both Havant and Waterlooville Leisure Centres on behalf of Havant Borough Council, sees these new appointments as a strategic springboard to the charitable group’s long-term strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the South of England.
Mike Lyons, the new CEO, is responsible for the strategic leadership of the organisation and delivery of Horizon’s ambitious fiveyear plan.
He will be working with colleagues in the senior team, as well as the Board of Trustees, stakeholders and strategic partners including the local council, to facilitate key projects that ensure Horizon Leisure continually moves forward, maintaining its standing as the key health and wellbeing provider in the community.
Mike has extensive experience of the leisure, culture, hospitality, events and retirement sectors, having spent his career previously working for BH Live, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust,
as well as the Affordable Housing and Healthcare Group.
He held several key roles including director of sport and leisure, operations director and his in his last position managing director within the health care sector.
Mike added: “I am hugely passionate about working in a strategic role focused on improving the health of our community.
“We deliver a wide range of activities suitable for all ages and ability levels. Horizon is a great
organisation to be a part of; we continuously innovate and push boundaries.
“Already operating two well established leisure facilities, our aim is to expand the reach into communities locally and regionally.
“This underpins our future vision for the organisation. Recent appointments to the senior leadership team will help us greatly to deliver our ambitious goals for the future.”
Scott Mackenzie has joined the group as commercial director and
has a rich heritage in leisure.
This includes significant experience working for David Lloyd Clubs as a general manager and Fitness First as a regional experience manager.
In his new role Scott will be responsible for facility operations, member experience and product strategy.
Alexandra Pinhorn is the latest appointment, joining Horizon Leisure to build and deliver an in-house marketing and communications strategy.
She has broad experience in marketing and public relations, having formally worked at boxChilli as a PR and marketing director and as account director for Magellan PR, where she worked on brands including Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, London Bridge Hotel and Bicester Performance Gym.
Mike added: “The leisure sector currently faces many challenges, but the hard work and resilience of our dedicated and passionate team means Horizon Leisure is now well positioned to continue to move forward and drive further growth.
“I look forward to working with my new colleagues to lead the charity into its next exciting chapter.”
SOUTHAMPTON Football Club has announced a new regional partnership with the Village Hotel in Eastleigh to help encourage fans to meet their fitness goals and live a more active lifestyle.
Recent research from YouGov shows that more than 39 per cent of children and young people across Southampton have been classified at ‘less active’.
Further to this over more than 30 per cent of Southampton adults have been classified at physically inactive, which is more than three per cent worse than the national average.
Southampton Football Club’s director of regional business Mark Abrahams said: “Since opening in Eastleigh in 2021 we’ve been impressed with Village Hotel’s fresh approach, and in particular the health and wellbeing club that offers affordable and high-quality facilities for the community.
“We’re looking forward to working with
the Village as a regional partner in 2023 and exploring new opportunities that deliver shared value.”
The regional partnership will see the Eastleigh Village Hotel and the south coast football team collaborate on a number of initiatives to support their combined goals of promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
To kickstart the new collaboration the Eastleigh Village Hotel will be offering fans the chance to win themselves an annual pass for their gym facilities, as well as a signed football shirt.
Village Hotels senior general manger Nalin Daud added: “We are extremely excited to become a regional partner with Southampton Football Club.
“We share Saints’ commitment to the local community by using sport and exercise to bring fans together and helping keep the community fit and healthy.”
PLEASE take five minutes to complete the 2023 Workforce State of Mind Survey.
Launched to explore the mental health of those working in the fitness and active leisure sector, the insight collected will help employers take action to better protect and support their people.
Workplace Mental Wealth
– owners of the survey want to hear from independent operators.
“So far we have only had a small number of responses from this market segment,” said Katie Lewis, co-founder of Workplace Mental Wealth, owners of The Workforce State of Mind Survey.
“If you own or operator an independent gym or club we want to hear from you. The survey is anonymous and takes about five minutes to complete.”
This is the third year the survey is taking place. To take part visit workplacementalwealth. com
The survey is live until February 10. Once all the data has been collated a result summary report will be made available FREE to everyone via a download from the workplace mental wealth website.
Every response matters. To read the results of the 2022 Workforce State of Mind Survey click here
#DoingOurBit – a platform of more than 60 free workouts for NHS and social care staff – has won the Institute for Continuous Improvement in Public Services Employee Wellbeing Award.
Created by fitness industry leaders Active IQ, fibodo and Study Active alongside NHS keyworker Julie Davis during the first lockdown in June 2020, #DoingOurBit has 135 NHS and social care trusts signed up to the platform, giving access to more than 750,000 frontline workers.
“I’m delighted that #DoingOurBit has been recognised for its contribution to improved employee wellbeing as people’s welfare during and since the pandemic was the driving force behind the platform,” said Julie, who is also deputy chief operating officer of the NIHR Clinical Research Network West Midlands.
“The beauty of #DoingOurBit is that it hasn’t stood still: we are continuing to build the platform to bring new content and opportunities to enable NHS and social care staff free access to physical and mental wellbeing resources.”
The ICiPS Award for Employee Wellbeing category recognises organisations that have gone above and beyond to support their employee wellbeing during and after the Covid pandemic.
Recognising that employees have emerged from a challenging period, with many now facing changes to how, when and where they work, the stresses this can place on a workforce are considerable.
That said, the situation also resulted in
new opportunities and ICiPS was keen to recognise organisations that have truly understood and responded to the changed needs of their employees’ wellbeing.
#DoingOurBit continues to evolve with a new platform have just launched, including a Mental Wellbeing hub.
An app is soon to follow and this, alongside new workouts being added at regular intervals, is future proofing #DoingOurBit.
“#DoingOurBit stood out to the judges as it was a scheme with well thought
through and clear outcomes,” said Debbie Simpson, CEO of ICiPS.
“It had clearly been crafted around understanding employee wellbeing needs and took into account the challenge of engaging with employees, given their diverse age profiles, working patterns and places of work.
“It started as a small-scale venture which grew into a programme that now engages a huge and diverse range of employees, in an equally diverse range of activities.
“#DoingOurBit also showed
collaboration with a range of organisations and the ability to unite employees.
“It is a programme that resonates with employees who remain engaged with it and continue to derive benefit.
“In terms of morale and wellbeing, the programme is clearly making a difference to the lives of those who participate, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing which, in turn, will contribute to a healthier, more content and productive workforce.”
ENERGY prices are at an all-time high, putting pressure on gyms to take a look at their running costs and save any which way they can.
Rob Knox, product director from Matrix Fitness, part of the Johnson Health Tech Group and one of the world’s largest and fastest growing fitness equipment manufacturers, has recently turned his attention to some easy, takeaway tips for gym owners to reduce their energy costs.
“Many powered machines may only be used for as little as between three and five hours a day,” he said. “Leaving them unused, but drawing energy, for a large proportion of time. This may seem like a small thing, but the cost quickly adds up.
“To combat this, a quick tip that can make a big impact is to enter the ‘Engineering Mode’ on any of our
Rob Knoxpowered machines, and turn ‘ERP’ on. ERP stands for Energy-related Products, its something which is integrated into our powered machines and improves energy efficiency and performance.
“Intelligent software recognises when a product hasn’t been used for a selected time period and it will put the machine in sleep mode, to await the next user to interact.
“Whilst in ERP/sleep mode, the power consumed can be reduced up to 95 per cent, which as well as managing energy costs can aim to reduce the environmental impact during the products life cycle.
“In the UK just now we’re seeing a cost of approximately 34p per-KW, per-hour which may not sound like a lot, but that could equate to a cost of at least £530 a year pending the
number of powered machines in your facility.
“If your equipment includes a touchscreen, multiply this cost by four, and you’re quickly looking at more than £2,000 a year.
“With energy prices rapidly increasing, it’s time to ensure your facility is doing what it can to save energy, and money in the long run.”
