Active Nottingham Archives - Active Nottingham

The gym at Djanogly Community Leisure Centre has been transformed as part of a wider £1.5m investment for new equipment this November 2024.

Active Nottingham, which is part of Nottingham City Council, began investing funds in March 2023 with members at Clifton, Southglade, Victoria, and Harvey Hadden having already experienced the new gym concept. This investment extends over five years and covers all six of its leisure centres: Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Clifton, Ken Martin, Southglade, Victoria, and Djanogly Community Leisure Centre.

The revamp at Djanogly Community Leisure Centre includes premium equipment from Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, and ICG ®, which is suitable for all training interests and fitness levels. Additionally, the centre will join an exclusive group of UK gyms to feature Symbio™ Cardio, which will take fitness journeys to the next level.

The new kit will also include immersive digital experiences with cardio consoles, a functional zone and environmentally friendly Green Zones with self-powered equipment.

Cllr Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council said: “It was great to attend the reopening of the gym at Djanogly Community Leisure Centre with our fantastic team. The impressive upgraded facilities rival those of private gyms and will serve as an excellent resource for the community. I was particularly energised when I saw the new wall of self-powered equipment, helping towards Nottingham’s goal to be the UK’s first carbon-neutral city.

“This is the latest in a suite of renovations across Active Nottingham centres. It’s wonderful to see the penultimate phase moving forward following upgrades across Clifton, Southglade, Victoria, and Harvey Hadden over the past few years.”

On Friday 8 November, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre opened its doors to the gyms for a VIP Open Day, where Master Trainers from Life Fitness were on hand to help customers utilise the new equipment. Members were also be invited to bring along a friend for free for the day.

To tie in with the reopening residents are able to take advantage of special joining offers which include

For more information on the refurbishment project, visit Active Nottingham’s website here.

*Terms apply. Choose from one of the three mentioned offers. Offers are only available at Djanogly Community Leisure Centre from 8 – 15 November 2024 to coincide with the gym reopening and are only available when joining in person.

Nottingham Swim School backs National Drowning Prevention Week campaign

Nottingham Swim School, part of Nottingham City Council, is urging parents to make sure their children know how to stay safe and enjoy the water this summer.

Whether heading abroad this summer or opting for a staycation, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), fears that families will head to beaches and inland water locations this summer, without considering the potential dangers, putting themselves and others at risk. Those of us who will be venturing abroad for their summer holiday, may find themselves using non-lifeguarded pools and therefore be at risk if they do not have the necessary water safety skills.

Figures indicate that around 25 per cent of primary pupils leave school unable to swim, and experts fear that as a result of the pandemic many young people lack the ability to swim or self-rescue.

Nottingham Swim School is supporting RLSS UK’s national Drowning Prevention Week campaign, this year running from 15-22 June 2024.

Drowning Prevention Week aims to equip everybody across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge, to make the right decisions about water safety.

Over 300 people accidentally drown in the UK and Ireland every year and many more suffer injury, sometimes life-changing, when they survive drowning.

Nottingham Swim School Officer, Claire Sullivan said: “We are proud to play our part in ensuring our families have a safe summer. We recognise how vital it is for children to know how to stay safe near water and urge our parents to access RLSS UK’s free water safety resources on the Charity’s website, which includes fantastic theme week lesson plans to allow schools to incorporate the resources into our existing lessons. We want our pupils to enjoy all the fun and benefits of being in and around water but be educated on how to do that safely.”

The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Charity Director Lee Heard, said: “The UK’s beautiful waterways should be places where everyone feels at ease, and can take pleasure from their surroundings, whatever their age, whatever their activity level. But we’re urging people to educate themselves and others on how to enjoy water safely and prevent a fun day out ending in tragedy.

“The Drowning Prevention Week campaign is crucial this year. In recent years, young people have missed out on the vital opportunity to swim, leaving a dramatic gap in school swimming and water safety education.

“RLSS UK believes that through free, accessible education and training, everyone can enjoy water safely. We urge as many parents as possible to get involved with the campaign, use our free online resources, and give their children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.”

Visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW to access the Charity’s free water safety resources.

In addition, the Open Water Education Network (OWEN) will be visiting two Active Nottingham Leisure Centres during Drowning Prevention Week to promote water safety:

OWEN – In memory of Owen Jenkins – was founded to educate children and young adults in Nottinghamshire about how to stay safe around open water and what to do in an emergency, whilst also working closely with water safety groups such as Fire & Rescue Service, Police Service and the Nottinghamshire Water Safety Partnership group. “Had my son Owen and his friends been educated about open water, its dangers and what to do in an emergency he may still be here today” – Nicola Jenkins.

Active Nottingham swimming pools awarded PoolMark Accreditation

Swimmers attending any of the six Active Nottingham swimming pools, part of Nottingham City Council, can be assured they meet the highest quality standards after achieving the PoolMark Accreditation from the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG).

The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) is the leading authority on swimming pool operation, water treatment and technical information relating to health and safety.

PoolMark is the UK National Standard for quality, healthy pools. The PoolMark certification assures operators and the public that the pool meets essential healthy pool operational standards.

Pools that follow and achieve the Code’s standards through assessment are awarded a plaque and certificate to show their achievement.

Jonathan Cook (Swimming Pools Technical Officer) and Ian Dunphy (Assistant Manager/Project Lead) from Clifton Leisure Centre (pictured above) said: “We’re proud to have undertaken this journey for Active Nottingham’s swimming pools. It’s a first for Nottingham City, as only 42 swimming pools (out of the 800+ pools in the UK) have been accredited, and we have six of those – it’s a huge achievement for us.”

Active Nottingham gyms undergo a major transformation

The gyms at Harvey Hadden Sports Village and Clifton Leisure Centre are currently being transformed as part of a wider £1.5m investment for new equipment and set to reopen to the public on Tuesday 28 March 2023.

The average lifespan for a cardio machine is five years and the costs to repair will outstrip the value of the machine, resulting in a higher repair bill. This £1.5m cash injection will make sure each centre has new kit for gym-goers to use.

The money has been set aside to support the income generated from customers, allowing the investment to be made without the need for borrowing or impacting on wider day-to-day council services.

Active Nottingham, which is part of Nottingham City Council, is investing the money over five years across all of its six leisure centres – Harvey Hadden, Clifton, Ken Martin, Southglade, Victoria and Djanogly.

The revamp at Clifton and Harvey Hadden features premium equipment from Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ICG ® – suitable for all training interests and fitness levels. The new kit will also feature immersive digital experiences with new cardio consoles, a functional zone with a stretching area and environmentally friendly Green Zones with self-powered equipment so more can be done to help the environment.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “it was great to visit the gym at Clifton Leisure Centre this week during the installation process, to see the new and improved facilities, meet the team and see their excitement for the gym to reopen. I’m confident these improvements will become a real asset to the community.

“We are refurbishing all Active Nottingham gyms across the city, to make sure wherever people live, they have the opportunity and access to high-quality fitness equipment.”

On Monday 27 March, both Clifton Leisure Centre and Harvey Hadden Sports Village will reopen their doors to the gym for a VIP Open Day, where Master Trainers from Life Fitness will be on hand to help customers utilise the new equipment. Members will also be invited to bring along a friend for free for the day.

To tie in with the reopening, residents will be able to take advantage of a special joining offer of three-month Fitness+ membership for £70 (a saving of £40) when visiting either Clifton or Harvey Hadden Sports Village.

Active Nottingham set to invest £1.5m in gym equipment

Gyms at Harvey Hadden Sports Village and Clifton Leisure Centre is in line to receive a share of £1.5m for new equipment over the next few months.

Active Nottingham, which is part of Nottingham City Council, is set to invest the money over five years across all of its six leisure centres – Harvey Hadden, Clifton, Ken Martin, Southglade, Victoria and Djanogly.

Harvey Hadden and Clifton will be the first in line to receive new equipment from Spring 2023.

The average lifespan for a cardio machine is five years and the costs to repair will outstrip the value of the machine, resulting in a higher repair bill.

This £1.5m cash injection will make sure each centre has new kit for gym-goers to use.

Active Nottingham has set money aside to support the income generated from customers, allowing the investment to be made without the need for borrowing or impacting on wider day-to-day council services.

With increasing membership numbers and by listening to members, replacing old equipment will improve customer satisfaction as well as mental and physical health and wellbeing.

It will also allow Active Nottingham to remain competitive in an ever-growing sport and leisure marketplace – especially as today’s gym-goer wants to see smart technology on fitness equipment to enhance the gym experience.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “I am pleased we are investing in our residents’ mental health and wellbeing by replacing the current gym equipment. This will play an important role in the promotion of getting more people active within our community.”

John Wileman, Head of Sport and Leisure for Active Nottingham, said: “This is great news for our members and local residents at each of the six Active Nottingham locations. We are always looking to improve and replacing our equipment means our gyms are not just great to use, but we are directly helping the city of Nottingham.”

The state-of-the-art fitness equipment will be purchased by Active Nottingham over the next five years, providing an enhanced gym experience to residents and members at Active Nottingham’s six leisure centres.

Active Nottingham Leisure Centre first in the country to be recognised for tackling inequalities

Active Nottingham’s Ken Martin Leisure Centre (part of Nottingham City Council) in Nottingham has become the first leisure centre in the country to achieve the Quest Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard, demonstrating its commitment to tackling inequalities.

The Tacking Inequalities in Leisure accolade was bestowed on the centre as part of its Sport England Quest assessment, which measures how well a facility is operating and how effective organisations are across a range of areas.

First established more than 20 years ago, the renowned Quest award has evolved over the years to keep pace with the ever-changing sport and leisure industry, now including aspects such as the Tackling Inequalities assessment and an Exercise on Referral Standard. Still the sector’s best-known improvement programme, its rigorous assessments challenge even the very best leisure centres in the UK.

Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “I’m thrilled that our efforts and the ongoing work at Ken Martin Leisure Centre have been recognised with the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team. As a service, Active Nottingham is committed to providing accessible leisure facilities and I hope this encourages more local residents with disabilities and those with long-term health conditions to be active.”

Ken Martin Leisure Centre was recognised for working hard to ensure all demographics of the local community are welcome and find the centre accessible, which includes partnering with trusted local organisations, such as housing associations, primary care networks, social prescribing teams and mental health services.

The Sport and Physical Activity team have also been working with the community to help remove any barriers to access through campaigns such as Get Out Get Active, This Girl Can and the Disability Sport Insight and Participation project, which invited people living with a disability to try the facility for free in exchange for honest feedback.

Kirsty Worthington, General Manager at Ken Martin Leisure Centre says: “As well as proactively researching the demographics of our area so we can anticipate some of our community’s needs, we take a more holistic and individualistic appreciation of their requirements by working with partners, such as My Sight Notts, Disability Direct and the Women’s Centre, and local projects, including community-based sports groups, to directly engage with people living in the local area.

“This includes attending local meetings and events, such as community fun days, inviting groups to attend the centre and help alleviate first-time visit anticipation, as well as offering virtual tours and subtitled centre walk-through videos on our website and social media, so people know what to expect in advance.

“The area around the centre has some of the highest levels of deprivation across the UK, experiencing a number of health challenges. Added to this, the area has a mixed population of ethnicities, including new and emerging communities, a large proportion of families and single-parent families, as well as a significant population of older people. We need to offer programmes and activities that truly cater for everyone.”

Some of the activities that ticked the boxes for the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard assessment team include Swim for Health, a 50+ morning and line dancing classes, which all attract a diverse attendance, as well as low-intensity mental health mindfulness classes, which enable customers to learn mindfulness meditation practices to help relax, reduce stress, slow down and live their life in the present.

Along with Active Nottingham’s other leisure centres, Ken Martin also boasts CredAbility accreditation; an independent quality mark run by disabled people, and the CredAbility Access Card, a national scheme that commits organisations to providing a quality service to people with a disability. The CredAbility Access +1 card scheme also allows holders to gain free access for essential companions or carers at Active Nottingham leisure centres.

Kirsty explains: “The CredAbility Access Card acts as evidence that someone needs support to use our services or is eligible for our offers. Not only does it mean we discreetly know they are entitled to concessionary prices and may require individual help, they know we are a verified accessible venue with their best interests at heart.”

Sarah Maxwell, Head of External Accreditations at Right Directions, which manages Quest on behalf of Sport England, says: “We were truly impressed with the investment Ken Martin Leisure Centre has made around inclusivity for its local community. For instance, the video on the Swim School is one of the most inclusive videos I have seen as an Assessor, with information being available in picture, sound and caption formats for members of the community, users and coaches.

“All the evidence, which includes investment in Disability Training Scenario Videos and Unconscious Bias Training to help prepare staff for their roles, demonstrates the centre and organisation are quality, not quantity, driven, with a focus on individual opportunities and thought, without taking a ‘blanket approach’ to their customers’ needs.”

Active Nottingham leisure centre awarded top marks on ‘Quest’ for excellence

Active Nottingham’s Ken Martin Leisure Centre has been awarded ‘Excellent’ for its facilities and services, recognising high quality within UK Sport and Leisure.

It joins Djanogly Community Leisure Centre at the top of the rankings for 2022 – another site run by Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council.

An industry standard developed by the UK Sports Council, Quest assessors look at a range of factors including operational management and approaches to engaging with customers through to community outcomes. Taking place over a two-day on-site assessment and a mystery shopper visit, the overall process ensures a thorough review takes place and provides assurances a quality service is being provided to residents.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “I’m thrilled Ken Martin Leisure Centre has been awarded ‘Excellent’ for its performance and management on the latest Quest Assessment. This is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of our front-line staff delivering best practice and the highest industry standard for the benefit of Nottingham residents using the centre.”

Ken Martin Leisure Centre General Manager, Kirsty Worthington, said: “Thank you to everyone at Ken Martin Leisure Centre and the wider Sport and Leisure teams for their assistance and support during the Quest preparation as well as the recent two-day assessment. It’s brilliant news for us all that we were rated as ‘Excellent’ as it highlights the hard work that is put into Ken Martin Leisure Centre. The hard work does not stop here, we will continue to assess, reflect and progress the site and the services we offer to Nottingham residents and customers. Great job everyone!”.

Active Nottingham operates six leisure centres across the city of Nottingham: Clifton Leisure Centre, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre, Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Ken Martin Leisure Centre, Southglade Leisure Centre, and Victoria Leisure Centre.

Take a virtual tour of Active Nottingham without leaving your house!

A NEW virtual tour promoting the facilities of six leisure centres in Nottingham has been launched by Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council.

The online tool not only allows users to see inside each Active Nottingham leisure centre but also view spaces from 360-degree angles. During the tour, potential members can gain virtual access to the facilities and visit each building from the comfort of their mobile device or computer.

Active Nottingham is much more than just a ‘gym’ with indoor swimming pools, saunas, steam rooms and a range of exercise classes, there is something for everyone and the new virtual tour allows potential members to explore the layout and details prior to arrival.

“I’m delighted Active Nottingham has launched their virtual tours, especially as they provide flexibility for potential members as well as those who may not be comfortable having an in-person tour and want the freedom to view the leisure centres at their leisure.

“The tours also offer valuable information for service users wanting to understand access arrangements, where the changing rooms are, where specific rooms are for classes etc.

“Nottingham residents will benefit greatly from these tours and I hope they will inspire more people to get active.”

Can this brown gal swim? The final day!

It’s the final day of Summaya’s challenge and the Brown Gal Can’t Swim podcast and if you’ve stuck with us this far, you’ll have heard Summaya talking about why she is learning to swim at 27, changing rooms within swimming facilities, modesty and swimwear, plus why you should learn to swim given the apparent dangers with water.

Spoiler Alert!

Now, if you’ve not listened to the final day of the podcast series, then below are some spoilers!

Let’s rewind to a cold, wet and windy day in Nottingham and a team of supporters (plus some open water swimmers) headed to Spring Lakes to watch Summaya take on her final task – a 500m open water swim.

Summaya is putting on a brave face as she mentally prepares for the swim and kindly snaps some images with our team and is interviewed by the BBC. She’s compiled a Brown Gal Can’t Swim playlist for everyone to listen to as she counts down the time before she gets into the cold lake.

As it approaches 4 pm, she is feeling nervous. The weather is gloomy, she is anxious about the swans and ducks, and a mix of emotions is overwhelming her. However, her swim coaches (Nottingham Swim School teacher Victoria Charles and Her Spirit’s Mel Berry) are present, along with Olympian Alice Dearing, offering words of calm, encouragement, and advice as she gets ready to swim. As she pops back into the changing room for a pep talk with her brother, she decides she needs a moment alone, saying: “(I’m) feeling really nervous. I’ve got butterflies, but I’m feeling ready – let’s do this”.

Right before she gets in the water, she listens to Ella Henderson’s Ghost to help calm her.

The time is now 4:15 pm and Summaya begins her swim, taking it in her stride, like a duck to water! She swims the first 200m using a variety of strokes and is looking strong, but then stops and it looks as though she might be struggling. But after a few words of encouragement and advice from the boat (with one of her coaches, Mel Berry, who is following), she powers on.

All the while Summaya is in the water, there are groups of swimmers also in the lake. They join her for the last push – providing an open water swim supporter group! Everyone is on the bank cheering and shouting to Summaya for the home stretch and the sound is deafening!

At 4:39 pm, 24 minutes after she started the swim Summaya has done it! Summaya has swum 500m in open water after only learning how to swim 8 weeks ago – what an amazing achievement.

As she leaves the water, she tells the crowd (who have now gathered) “That felt like a lot. It was really, really hard. Eight weeks ago I literally couldn’t swim and today I’ve managed to do 500m in open water. If I can do it, and I could not swim at all, then anyone can do it! No matter how embarrassed you might feel about not having a (swimming) skill, it could save your life. With the right support and the right people around you, you can make it happen”.

Can this Brown Gal Swim? She sure can and she did an incredible job! Listen to the Brown Gal Can’t Swim series in full.

Get Out Get Active Nottingham has been honoured to work alongside Active Nottingham in supporting Summaya Mughal’s Brown Gal Can’t Swim campaign. The values of the project of supporting more people to be more active and overcoming the barriers faced to being active perfectly align with the campaign’s ambitions to address the lack of South Asian and other ethnic minority swimmers in our pools across the country.

Swimming is a great activity for everyone, regardless of age or ability. It offers numerous benefits for both our physical and mental health, including those with disabilities and long-term health conditions. However, for many who have never learnt to swim, or who have anxieties about accessing a pool, it can feel really overwhelming and can prevent people not only from accessing swimming pools but also from gaining the vital life skill of swimming and being safe in the water.

Through the GOGA project, we have implemented various swimming initiatives. One example is our Swim for Health program at the six Active Nottingham pools. This program offers public swimming in a calm environment with floatation aids and supportive equipment like gradual steps.

Yet, we understand that the main challenge is often overcoming mental and emotional barriers. That’s why we find inspiration in Summaya and her Brown Gal Can’t Swim campaign. Their efforts to eliminate the stigma around learning to swim and accessing support for swimming are commendable. We are proud to have partnered with them and Active Nottingham in this important endeavour.

If you’ve been inspired to take up swimming, get in touch with Nottingham Swim School today and see how we can help you on your own swim journey.

Brown Gal Can’t Swim: City Council helps BBC presenter to get South Asian women swimming

Summaya Mughal (left) and Alice Dearing (right). Image: Charlie Firth

Nottingham-born BBC presenter Summaya Mughal has been learning to swim at Active Nottingham pools in a bid to encourage other South Asian women to take the plunge.

Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council, has supported her during her journey which she starts sharing on air this week. Her five-part series looks into learning to swim at the age of 27 and explores why many South Asian women are less likely to swim.

In revealing that she couldn’t swim, Summaya exposed the cultural barriers that she faced and how it has affected her both physically and mentally. As part of this journey, Summaya has given other members of the South Asian community the confidence to take their first steps into swimming.

As a result of her campaign, Summaya was honoured at the Nottingham Awards 2022 last week for her work in the Voluntary and Community Sector. Meanwhile, Active Nottingham, Nottingham Swim School and the council’s school swimming department have been honoured at the recent Swim England Teaching and Education Awards.

The series titled ‘Brown Gal Can’t Swim’ sees Summaya learn to swim in just eight weeks at Active Nottingham swimming pools, supported by Nottingham Swim School swimming teacher Victoria Charles. Olympians Rebecca Adlington and Alice Dearing also provide support and guidance and set Summaya additional challenges including a 500m open water swim – will she do it? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “We’re thrilled to be a part of this project with Summaya and the BBC to help raise awareness and showcase the importance of learning to swim within South Asian communities. This campaign will go a long way to help break down barriers that people face when it comes to swimwear, changing rooms, and going swimming itself and help get more communities involved in swimming.

“Active Nottingham and Nottingham Swim School are proud to have helped Summaya learn to swim over the past eight weeks and it was great to see her face the 500m open water challenge at Spring Lakes.

“Summaya has also worked with the black swimming association to challenge the lack of representation of black and Asian people in both recreational and elite swimming – she also engaged with Olympic swimmers Becky Adlington and Alice Dearing in her campaign, who both set her challenges for Summaya to complete.

Her work with diverse communities is second to none, both engaging and empowering!”

The Brown Gal Can’t Swim podcast is available on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p0ctzgft It will also be broadcast as a series on BBC East Midlands Today from Tuesday 11 October 2022.

*Summaya at Southglade Leisure Centre. Image: Charlie Firth*

Is there a better time of day to work out?

Are you a morning or evening person? Some people find it easier to exercise in the morning as their energy levels are at their highest, others prefer to wait until the evening as it fits better with their daily life.The time of day we choose to workout will depend on many things – ultimately it needs to fit in with everything in our lives. It needs to fit around work, studies, family and other commitments. We also need to choose times best suited to our bodies and our natural energy levels. The best time to exercise is down to us, working out whenever we can and being consistent.There are some benefits to exercising at certain times of the day, take a look below.Morning workouts:

Important: if exercising in the morning don’t forget to sufficiently warm up. Your muscles and joints tend to be “colder” when you have just woken up and are more prone to injury.

Afternoon/evening workouts:

Regardless of the time of day we exercise, it is still very important to ensure we warm up sufficiently.

Try to find a time to work out that suits your lifestyle – taking all aspects into consideration – but most importantly, a time that you will consistently be able to stick with in the long run.

Staying Motivated

Have you ever started a fitness regime and then quit? If you answered yes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people start fitness and wellness programmes but stop when they get bored, aren’t enjoying it or don’t see the results as quickly as they’d hoped. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated.

If you ever feel your motivation slipping, review these tips to remind yourself of the ‘why’.

#BeExceptional and let us help you stay motivated. At Active Nottingham you have access to 6 gyms, 6 pools, 6 health suites and over 300 fitness classes. Find out more about our memberships.

Active Nottingham gym undergoes a major transformation