Gamlingay villagers feel the burn in fitness drive

A village fitness facility, which remained open thanks to community teamwork, is going from strength to strength with a rise in membership and new equipment.

Gamlingay Leisure has also taken on an additional gym instructor following higher-than-expected growth.

Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council and local member for Gamlingay, said: “The gym is an important venue in the village not just for keeping fit but also for forging friendships and fostering a sense of camaraderie and community. The District Council is pleased to have supported this facility with grant funding towards the initial business plan and also with community chest funding. Watching it flourish with membership and facilities is fantastic.”

Simon Fisher, Chair of Trustees, said: “We’re proud to watch the ongoing success of the gym, including recently welcoming our second gym instructor, Brandon who joined Jo in November 2023, which means we now provide fully qualified instructor cover for around 90% of the shifts. We also have learning opportunities thanks to funding from South Cambridgeshire District Council, to provide continuous development opportunities to our instructors and volunteers. Specialised training for working with cancer and diabetes is underway, along with our dedicated first aid training for volunteers. We extend our ongoing gratitude to several members who volunteer their time to cover the occasional shift at the gym. This enhances the community spirit, making it truly feel like our gym.’”

Among successes in the last year are a new lateral pulldown equipment and a new leg raise/leg curl machine.

The village Co-op store chose Gamlingay Leisure as one of the local charities to support in 2023 resulting in a £1,100 donation which was used to replace some equipment in the gym.

The multi-use games area is almost fully booked during the winter months, mainly for football training with plans for netball, hockey and tennis in the future.

The facility has 144 members and caters for a wide age range from 14 to 80+.

The red ribbon was cut at Gamlingay Leisure in summer 2022 after the community pulled together to ensure locals could continue enjoying gym and multi-use games activities on their doorstep, at the facility which is based at the village primary school.