Palmer Park Leisure Centre – One Year Anniversary
Palmer Park Leisure Centre – One Year Anniversary
Join us as we celebrate 1 year of Palmer Park Leisure Centre and Stadium – On Friday 12th January 2024 come along and join in with the following activities:
- Open Gym: 12:00–15:00
- Gym Challenge: 12:00–15:00
- Open Swim: 15:00–18:00
This time last year, 12th January 2023, Palmer Park Leisure Centre and Stadium hosted the official grand opening, aided by Gold Medal winning Paralympian Graham Edmonds.
Better took on the operation of Palmer Park Sports Stadium in 2021, with the centre closing its doors in April 2021 to undergo refurbishments as part of the £40 million invested in the partnership.
Palmer Park Leisure Centre and Stadium as its now been called for the past year, includes a new 6 lane 25m community pool, café, soft play, gym, party rooms, group exercise studio and group cycle studio built on to its existing athletics track and velodrome. The centre is fully accessible and boasts a pool pod which can lower users into the pool.
Palmer Park – A Year in Review
Below, we take a look back over the last year since Palmer reopened its doors to the general public…
In January, we held an open day where school Children from Alfred Sutton Primary had a Q&A session with Paralympian Graham Edmunds, the Electric Eels Synchronised Swimming Club performed and there were free classes, tours and health checks. We also hosted a meet the manager session.
Healthwise launched straight away, with all pathways on offer: Physical Activity Referral Scheme, Adult Weight Management and Cardiac Rehab. Additionally, throughout the year we have hosted Health programmes such as: National Diabetes Prevention Programme, Pulmonary Rehab, Compass Recovery College to name a few.
In February, we put on two Inclusive Swimming sessions to gauge interest and share the fantastic news that Palmer Park benefits from a pool pod. As a result, in March, we introduced a regular Inclusive Swimming session which anyone with a disability can attend (booking is advised) and is a reduced cost. This compliments the inclusive Swimming Lessons which are offered in partnership with Level Water. Also in March, we celebrated International Women’s Day with a guest speaker, encouraging Women to be physically active and answering any questions. This saw the introduction of Women Only sessions. Fitness Instructors, Healthwise and the Community team also benefited from Dementia Awareness training – contributing to making Palmer Park more inclusive.
April saw Palmer Park customers and staff contribute to donating 422 Easter Eggs to the Royal Berkshire Hospital Charity Trust ensuring every patient in the Hospital received an Easter egg. A stand out moment of the year, was when Palmer Park hosted the inaugural Palmer Park Festival of Inclusivity (Now: Sports Together Festival of Inclusivity). Palmer Park provided the venue, additional staff, additional accessible toilets and worked as part of the Sports Together group (engaging the valuable Reading Athletics Club) to put on a day of physical activity for those with a disability. The day comprised of; Rugby, Basketball, Cricket, Football and Athletics. Continuing the events outdoors, Palmer Park worked with Ascend Health to host their 5KM Run and Walk event, helping to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer and Blood Cancer testing / screening.
Children’s parties proved to be popular from early on in the year, with many kids enjoying playing in the soft play followed by hot or cold party food in the upstairs party rooms.
In May, Palmer Park hosted its first Children’s Day – 45 Children came and took part in a day of activities including; mini-athletics, safari-themed soft play, water assault course, bouncy castle, cycling, arts and crafts and biscuit icing in the café.
In June, we hosted the first cohort of Work Experience Placements – with the education business partnership. Teenagers from local schools and colleges took part in week long placements, learning the operational workings of a Leisure Centre.
July saw the introduction of SEND soft play sessions after meeting with members of Parents and Carers Together. During these sessions the music in soft play is turned off, numbers are limited and an additional adult attends for free. It was GLL’s 30th Birthday in July and Palmer Park joined in and celebrated by holding a colouring competition, complimentary birthday cake and 90’s themed classes across the weekend.
The Athletics track was busy all summer with many primary and secondary schools hosting sports days, school games and other events as well as Reading Athletics Club, Thames Valley Tri-Stars and Palmer Park Velo amongst the clubs and organisations hosting activities. In August, The Rainbow Children’s Trust benefitted from some free visits to Palmer Park’s Soft Play – supporting the work they do with families of Children who have life threatening / limiting illness.
In September, Palmer Park got involved in National Fitness Day and promoted the benefits of being physically active. We launched the new Programmable Gym – a gym space which has the ability to be used for ‘closed’ sessions. The focus has been on Female Only gym sessions (for Women and Women and Girls) with specific hours programmed to be female only; something which has been well received by local residents. Building on this, programmed hours will be added for Junior Gym, seniors, SEND and Healthwise.
During October, we hosted free Yoga and Pilates fusion classes (Yogalates) in partnership with Compass Recovery College for their participants. This was a 6-week course which followed the work Compass Recovery College and BETTER were involved in with Reading Borough Council and Get Berkshire Active called Physical Activity Mental Health Partnership.
In November, Berkshire Vision provided a training session for all staff on what resources there are to support people with a visual impairment as well as teaching GLL staff how to support and guide someone throughout the leisure centres.
Before we knew it, December was here! We hosted a gift appeal for The Rainbow Children’s Trust and Royal Berkshire Hospital, Santa made a guest appearance in the soft play (giving out books donated by staff across the Partnership).
In 2024 we look forward to increasing the opportunities for junior gym, senior sessions and inclusive access. Continuing to increase participation amongst local residents.