Free swim and gym - Southwark residents

[pecksniff]

Apologies if there is already a thread on. Southwark's scheme offering free gym and swimming sessions to all residents at six of it's leisure centres at selected times / days commences on 29th July. Refer to Southwark council website for details and registration.

[siousxiesue]

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200087/sports_and_leisure/3689/free_swim_and_gym

[Zoe TB]

Awesome!

[V511]

oh that's a great offer. Well done Southwark. Signed up already.

[Zoe TB]

What's the catch?

[dirac]

Zoe TB Wrote:

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> What's the catch?

Edit: seems like no catch. i've applied, and hopefully will finally relearn to swim :D

[VOXPOP]

Open to all Southwark residents now...

[worldwiser]

The catch is it's only Friday's and Saturdays. Anyone who's genuinely interested in improving their health will have to join anyway - 1 day a week isn't enough.

[VOXPOP]

3 days a week, Sunday too...

[siousxiesue]

It starts end of July. It's all day Fridays and from 2-6 Saturdays and Sundays, forgot to ask if classes may be included but I'm excited!

[cella]

Why so cynical? This was a planned Labour budget decision and a 2 stage plan to offer free gym and swim to the local community to try and reduce obesity. A big plus and we should be seeing this in a very positive light.

[James Barber]

The electoral promise was free swim and gym - not caveats or small print for that electoral promise.

So the catch is it comes with only a narrow window when the pool and gym are usually pretty empty. No expansion in facilities for opening hours to provide increased capacity to support this.

[cella]

I do think it's fine to offer the free gym & swim when it's less busy - otherwise it would be difficult to manage - and locals still benefit. What I think is more of a problem is the new management not engaging fully with customers. I've raised a very basic query with them and despite chasing several times I've not had the courtesy of a response. I've now emailed David Bibby, the top man, but still no reply. Serious contempt from a company who presumably feel that they now have the contract and don't need to bother. Machines not working for weeks, entry turnstile abandoned, reception crowded with merchandise, unhealthy foods on offer - Personally I had hoped for an improvement after Fusion.

[Zoe TB]

Surely the weekend is the busiest time - swimming on a Sunday is a right mare! I only query a catch as fusion was a not for profit organisation... just curious to find out if the prices of general swim/gym will rise the rest of the week.

There's always a catch, but I'm still signing up and do think freebies are great.. Gotta lop off this extra lard!

[EDmummy]

Oh for heaven's sake James Barber - I bet had they made it 24/7 you would have complained - if they spent a huge slice of Council budget on additional facilities you would have complained. This is a great opportunity to Southwark Residents and my family had already been benefiting when this was introduced to young people a year or so ago, along with over 60s. The only thing that worries me is that these are the days I go and they are already very busy (with the young people and over 60s mentioned above) but it's something I'll have to plan around. This is a fantastic attempt at getting people back on the road to fitness. Well done Southwark.

James Barber Wrote:

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> The electoral promise was free swim and gym - not

> caveats or small print for that electoral

> promise.

> So the catch is it comes with only a narrow window

> when the pool and gym are usually pretty empty. No

> expansion in facilities for opening hours to

> provide increased capacity to support this.

[Blah Blah]

Seconded EDmummy.

Three swim and gym sessions a week (for the committed) will go a long way to improving fitness.

[mrure26]

These sessions were introduced in 2015, so they are not new.

[pecksniff]

You're referring to the pilot which started last year for those under 18 or over 60. This will now be extended to all Southwark residents.

>

mrure26 Wrote:

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> These sessions were introduced in 2015, so they

> are not new.

[headphonauts]

Has anybody managed to get the site to work properly? Get all the way through the questionnaire, the 'payment details' for the free offer... 'contact your administrator'... computer says no. Poor.

[siousxiesue]

headphonauts Wrote:

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> Has anybody managed to get the site to work

> properly? Get all the way through the

> questionnaire, the 'payment details' for the free

> offer... 'contact your administrator'... computer

> says no. Poor.

Maybe because it starts end of July?

[dirac]

I managed fine, maybe it's your web browser

[Cedges]

My computer is not the fastest but it usually struggles through....I am having a mare completing my compulsory online induction however...the site is not great....

[BrandNewGuy]

Southwark Council has extended leIsure centre opening hours to 10pm as from july 31st. Good news.

http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/southwark-council-extends-leisure-centre-opening-times/

[dirac]

that's awesome.

[ctovey]

Just been to Peckham Pulse to get a school holiday timetable for the pool as there isn't one on line. I am on a stick post surgery and had to get 2 buses down there, only to be told that they don't have one yet! Told me they are hoping to have a timetable available in the next couple of weeks!!!!! Possibly before the kids go back to school???? Also didn't have a timetable for the 60+ gym and swim sessions. Both these timetables are available for Dulwich Leisure Centre, so why not Peckham Pulse?