Design Council Supports UK active letter to Prime Minister

We are proud to back a letter by UK active to the Prime Minister calling for greater support for gyms, pools and leisure facilities, which are essential for the physical and mental health of our community.

We are writing to seek your assurances that essential facilities such as gyms, pools, and leisure centres are given the fullest possible support to survive and recover from the economic crisis caused by Covid-19 – because they have a vital role in our recovery from this health crisis.

We fully appreciate that these are challenging times for our nation’s decision makers, but despite the breadth of our group, we share a common belief that health solutions must be prioritised. To that end, we are deeply concerned by the latest forecasts from the trade body ukactive that up to 2,800 gyms and leisure facilities in the UK are at risk of permanent closure, resulting in the loss of 100,000 jobs and impacting about 6.6 million users, if they do not receive greater, tailored support.

The coronavirus pandemic is also having a profound impact on our nation’s mental health. As we build back better, physical activity can help to reduce the risk of depression by 30% and can be as effective as medication for people with mild-moderate depression and anxiety. It brings people together, reducing loneliness and isolation. This is a sector with solutions to many of the issues in your in-tray.

The threat of losing these places has brought us together as a collective voice, to express our concern and hope that everything is done to ensure these essential facilities are available to support our recovery from Covid-19, and enhance the health of the nation, now and long into the future."

Download the full letter here

About ukactive - ukactive is a not-for-profit industry association, promoting the interests of commercial fitness gyms and community leisure centres, with more than 3500 organisations in membership.

Category: Business and Economy