Calling all Brummies to Be active!
Former England rugby star Austin Healey drop kicked into action a two-year Be active scheme, offering Brummies free leisure centre use, the first initiative of this size in Europe.
Be Birmingham’s Health and Wellbeing partnership launched Be active with other special guests including Heart FM’s Steve Denyer, who hosting the event at Stechford Cascades Leisure Centre.
Austin Healey said: “I am really excited to support Be active. I want to encourage the many thousands of people in Birmingham to use their local leisure centre for free. Whatever your age and whatever you are into, there is something for everyone. From kids swimming sessions to over-50s classes or walking clubs - being active can be fun for the whole family.”
Be active is a free scheme available to all Birmingham residents who pay their council tax to Birmingham City Council. Be active participants can take part in free swimming, exercise classes or the gym at any council-run leisure centre during off-peak hours, which may vary according to each centre. Please contact your local leisure centre for more information or visit http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/beactive or to find your nearest Be active lesuire centre visit: http://bit.ly/beactive-map
The Be active scheme is part funded by Be Birmingham’s Working Neighbourhoods Fund and aims to get people to change their lifestyle, whilst improving their health.
Since September more than 45,000 Birmingham citizens have been enjoying free activities across 26 of the city’s leisure centres. The present scheme is based on a 2008 Ladywood pilot ‘Gym 4 Free’ which recently won The Guardian Best Public Services award and the success of the present scheme is expected to have around 90,000 to 100,000 additional citizens' being active at least three times a week up to April 2011.
For more information please contact Samantha Tinsley-Hunt, Marketing & Communications Officer, Be Birmingham on 0121 675 7821 or email Samantha.tinsley-hunt@birmingham.gov.uk
