Leisure centre launches free after dark walking and running club in support of This Girl Can campaign
Fox Hollies Leisure Centre in Birmingham has launched a free to attend night-time walking and running club to show its backing for This Girl Can’s (TGC) Let’s Lift the Curfew campaign, which aims to highlights the fact that almost 75 per cent of women alter their outdoor activity routines during the winter months.
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Recent research from TGC has shown that around one in four women ensure they take well-lit routes, almost a quarter avoid certain areas altogether and one in five glance behind them to ensure they’re not being followed, while exercising after dark.
Yasmin Hussain, Community Engagement Officer for Birmingham Community Leisure Trust, which operates the centre in partnership with Serco Leisure, said: “It’s important that people are able to stay active whatever the time of year. Dark nights should not mean women or men have to miss out on the many benefits of outdoor exercising.
“To show our support for the Let’s Lift the Curfew campaign, we have launched a new walking and running club which will take place each Thursday from 8pm to 9pm around our running track. The session will be led by a member of our fitness team.
“Although we are aiming this primarily at women, if there are any men who’d like to take part each week, we’d be happy to welcome them.”
The centre also features a women-only gym designed to create a comfortable and safe space for female members. Yasmin added:
“We understand that some women may feel intimidated on the main gym floor. Our female-only gym gives them the opportunity to work out in a relaxed space, helping them to focus on their fitness goals without feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious.”
To learn more about the ladies-only gym, birminghamleisure.com/fox-hollies-leisure-centre/facilities/gym.
To book a place for the walking/running club, call 0121 796 2330 or visit birminghamleisure.com/fox-hollies-leisure-centre/contact-us.
