Today, we were very disappointed to hear the government announcement regarding the continued closure of gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres across the UK.
We wanted to reassure you, that we are doing everything we can to ensure a safer, better and stronger approach to welcome you back to our centres. We are working tirelessly with UKactive, Community Leisure UK and other key governing bodies and leisure operators, to ask that the government re-evaluates its approach with easing lockdown, so that we can look to re-open essential community facilities as soon as we can.
We understand that for many of you, our local Better centres are a lifeline to enable you to get out and about, to socialise, learn new skills and, ultimately to keep fit and healthy.
As a charitable social enterprise, our gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres operate for the benefit of everyone's health and fitness in the local communities we serve. Exercise is so important for both mental and physical well-being, and it's becoming increasingly important to support COVID-19 resilience and rehabilitation.
There are some helpful tips below on ways to help support your local community gym, swimming pool and leisure centres, and to have your voice heard to persuade the government to take positive action to re-open essential community facilities.
Mark Sesnan, our CEO is passionate about getting our communities back on track, and wanted to share with you our next steps for how we will move forward together.
To our valued members...
I share in your disappointment at this recent news. The government has made a potentially catastrophic mistake by leaving community leisure centres, indoor gyms and swimming pools off the list of businesses that can re-open on 4th July. Nor given any indication when they might re-open. This needs urgent review and we need to open as early as possible.
This will be bad for business, bad for jobs and bad for the health of the nation. The failure to re-open will result in:
- Vulnerable businesses, (including many not-for-profit organisations) within the sector folding. After 12 weeks of lockdown this is already happening
- Thousands of leisure industry jobs being lost
- Many community leisure facilities closing for good
This appears to demonstrate that the Government is ignoring the health of the nation when it has been proven that conditions such as obesity and diabetes significantly increase the risks associated with COVID-19.
We all enjoy a pint. But if pubs and restaurants can re-open it defies logic that indoor sports and leisure facilities remain closed – particularly public facilities designed to serve local communities. This decision appears misguided and short sighted. We need an opening date for our sector immediately.
We will do everything we can, with the support of you our members, UK governing bodies, and with our fellow leisure operators to work to overturn this decision.
Thank you again for your continued support during this time - and we will keep you regularly updated on when we we are able to reopen, as soon as we can.
Mark Sesnan
CEO
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www.brixtonbuzz.com
) til you feel more confident 
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. There’s a dip bit where you can just get used to the water, a 150 loop and a 400m loop at the minute. They provide tow floats which you have to wear at the minute (just a covid thing, don’t normally have to) but these are great to hang on to and just have a minute floating about. They test the water so you know it’s clean (you can’t see much because it’s so deep though!) You have to join nowca which is 12 quid for the year and they give you a band so they can scan you in and out the water. There’s also shepperton lake (west london) which is lovely but further (30km each way).
. I'm originally from Sydney and lived on the coast in Spain until until coming to the UK in my teens and am relatively fit - but I have always been a shocking swimmer. 
