Nigel Huddleston MP visits Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre to mark National Fitness Day
Pictured from left: Sharon Keen, Head of Support Services and Marketing at Wychavon Leisure; Nigel Grundy, Managing Director of Wychavon Leisure; and Nigel Huddleston MP.
Nigel Huddleston, MP for Droitwich Spa and Evesham, visited Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre on Saturday 5th September to see its newly refurbished facilities and discuss the role leisure centres play in supporting community health and wellbeing.
During the visit, Mr Huddleston toured the new centre and met staff and customers. The facility has recently benefited from a £15 million investment by Wychavon District Council.
Demand for gyms, pools and leisure centres continues to grow across the UK. A record 12.2 million people are now members of a health and fitness club, according to the UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2026.
The visit highlighted how MPs and policymakers can champion physical activity and support the fitness and leisure facilities that help more people experience the benefits of moving more.
The visit took place in the lead up to National Fitness Day on Wednesday 16th September, coordinated by ukactive, the UK’s trade body for the physical activity sector. The campaign will see gyms, pools, leisure centres and sports clubs across the UK host activities encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to try something new and take a step towards a more active lifestyle.
Nigel Grundy, Managing Director at Wychavon Leisure, said: “National Fitness Day is a great reminder that fitness isn’t about being perfect, it’s about finding ways to move that make you feel good. Our leisure centres are here for everyone, whatever your age, ability or starting point.
From swimming and fitness classes to gym sessions and simply getting more active, there’s something for everyone. We want to inspire people to take that first step, enjoy being active and make it part of everyday life. Small changes can make a big difference.”
Nigel Huddleston MP said: “It was fantastic to visit Droitwich Leisure Centre for National Fitness Day and see firsthand the brilliant work being done to help people across our community stay active, healthy, and connected.
National Fitness Day is a great reminder that being active is about so much more than physical fitness, it can have a hugely positive impact on our mental wellbeing, confidence, and quality of life too.
I’d like to thank the team at Droitwich Leisure Centre for taking the time to show me around and, more importantly, for everything they do throughout the year to encourage people of all ages and abilities to get involved and keep active.”
Cameron Saunders, CEO of ukactive said: “It’s great to see MPs visiting their local gyms, pools and leisure facilities so they can witness first hand the impact ukactive members are having on the mental and physical wellbeing of their communities.
Through supporting our mission of more people, more active, more often, fitness and leisure facilities are helping millions of people lead healthier, happier and better connected lives.
For more information about Wychavon Leisure and Rivers Fitness, visit:
To find out more about ukactive, visit: www.ukactive.com
About ukactive
ukactive is the UK’s trade body for the physical activity sector, bringing together more than 3,000 member organisations and partners in a shared ambition to get more people, more active, more often. Its community includes gyms, leisure centres, studios, sports bodies, activity providers, health organisations, consumer brands, technology firms and equipment manufacturers across the private, public and third sectors.
ukactive facilitates partnerships, leads campaigns, conducts research and works with government to demonstrate how physical activity can help address major challenges, including pressure on the NHS and social care, workforce health, loneliness and community wellbeing.
For more information, contact the ukactive press office at press@ukactive.org.uk or call 020 8153 4581.
About Us
We are Wychavon Leisure, a not for profit social enterprise operating Rivers Fitness leisure facilities across Wychavon. Our centres provide accessible opportunities for local communities to be active through gyms, swimming, exercise classes, sports and health and wellbeing programmes. For more information, visit: www.riversfitness.co.uk
