March 2017
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
Conference and Awards return to Leicester By Christina Eccles
THE 2017 National Fitness Conference and Awards are returning to Leicester in December, with opportunities for the whole of the industry to get involved in a glittering celebration of success. The awards, which are now in their eighth year, take place on Friday December 1 and are organised by Script Events in partnership with Workout and headline sponsor ServiceSport. Recognising excellence and achievement from operators of all shapes and sizes, nominations are open via the new look NFA website – www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk – with over 20 categories up for grabs. Previous winners have used the awards to raise their profile, generate positive PR and reward the hard work of their staff and members. Rachelle Solan from multi NFA winning club Solan Fitness told Workout she would urge any operator to enter, as being able to promote yourself as an award-winning facility can give a club that all important competitive edge. She said: “It’s really, really helped our credentials and reputation. People trust us more because we have won an award.
“Last year was fantastic. It’s a great evening and a nice way to celebrate the fitness industry.” Entries can be made online until August when a shortlist will be drawn up in each category. All finalists will then receive a site visit from a member of the Workout team who will take a look around the club and chat to members and staff before an expert panel choose the lucky winners. Trophies will be handed out at a spectacular end of year party at The Athena, where the industry will come together to celebrate the achievements of all shortlisted clubs. National Fitness Awards’ director Judith Halkerston added: “It’s amazing that we are now making plans for the eighth National Fitness Awards – looking back on the very first awards in 2010, it’s incredible how much the awards have grown and what an established part of the fitness calendar they have become. “We love studying all the nominations and then getting on the road and seeing all the hard work, innovation and dedication going on in facilities the length and breadth of the country is a real privilege. “So if you’re proud of what your facility is achieving, we’d love to receive your nomination.”
No 282 £3
Trampoline safety now simplified
A teenage fitness enthusiast has shaped up to be a successful entrepreneur thanks to inspiration from her parents and college tutors. 19-year-old Sheridan Mordew set up her own fitness business after studying business studies at Gateshead College and becoming president of the Northern Stars enterprise society, which supports budding entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses. Since setting up her business almost a year ago, PT Sheridan has helped over 600 people across the UK with her online nutrition and exercise programmes, as well as more than 100 people locally. n For full story see page 10.
A NEW partnership has simplified health and safety for trampoline park operators running multiple facilities around the country. Right Directions has partnered with South Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire County Council to form a Primary Authority partnership. This government legislation makes it easier for businesses that operate in more than one local authority area by enabling them to seek regulatory advice from a single source that can then be applied to all their facilities, no matter where they are located. The partnership will see SNC act as the Primary Authority for health and safety, food safety and environmental protection, whilst NCC is responsible for trading standards across Right Directions’ trampoline park clients. Oxygen Freejumping’s executive director Stephen Wilson said: “Quite simply Right Directions’ Primary Authority provides a co-ordinated means of engaging with Environmental Health Officers rather than having different relationships for each of our sites.”