According to the latest Moving Communities report from Sport England, more people in England are using leisure facilities. Sheffield Hallam University, Right Directions, Active Insight and 4Global compiled and delivered the report on behalf of Sport England using data from 563 public sector leisure centres in England over two years. More people are using leisure facilities for fitness-related activities, up around 20%. Interestingly, visits to facilities in around 20 ‘economically disadvantaged’ areas are up by 9%, equating to around 100,000 people. It shows the value people place on leisure centres, as 86% of people said they ‘preferred exercising in leisure centres than in more informal settings’. Given that so much emphasis has been placed on the popularity of exercising at home, there’s still a big appetite for leisure facilities. 💡💡💡 ⚡⚡⚡Turn workouts into watts with the RE:GEN—our electricity-generating fitness bike. Discover how harnessing human power can revolutionise your gym or studio today!⚡⚡⚡ 💡💡💡 The friendly, helpful staff and the cleanliness of the venue were two of the most important factors that caused people to visit them. Value for money was also significant. There’s good news for those working in the industry, too. Job postings increased by 1550% between January 2021 and January, which is important given that this covers the post-COVID period. The report also details how leisure centres have ‘generated a social value of £890 million in 2023/24, up £48 million on last year. The report also highlights the impact of leisure facilities on social value. Social value includes the positive effect of leisure facilities on health and social care, especially regarding physical and mental health. In a previous post, we wrote that 78% of people went to the gym to help manage their mental health. Younger people participating in leisure centre sports or activities can earn a higher starting salary after graduating. They can help save the criminal justice system money by lowering crime rates among young people. Ukactive CEO Huw Edwards referenced the report in an HCM article published a few days after the report. He spoke specifically about the added social value and the importance of the private sector, pointing out that in 2023, the gym group’s members generated a social value of £890. Huw Edwards has been very vocal about the Government working with the fitness industry to help support and serve local communities. This could help people gain better access to health services that could relieve pressure on the NHS and help people support their positive health outcomes without needing intervention. The World Health Organisation recently published a study in the Lancet which stated that 31% of adults aren’t getting enough exercise. That number is also expected to rise to 35% by 2030, so it’s promising that people are engaging with local facilities and building habits. You can read the full report here.