Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub, operated by not-for-profit leisure trust Freedom Leisure on behalf of Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) is celebrating its first anniversary since opening.

Over the past year, the hub has established itself as a vibrant focal point for health, wellbeing and community activity in the local area, welcoming thousands of visitors and delivering a wide range of fitness, leisure and social opportunities for all ages and abilities.

The Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub is also home to the Blackbridge CCBS Youth Work team who run three youth nights a week in the Social Space, delivering over 130 sessions and engaging with over 115 local young people since the hub opened.

Through its wellbeing activities the hub has also been bringing residents together through community coffee mornings, evening and weekend social clubs, games nights, quizzes, walking football and breakfast clubs – all of which are open to non-members as well as members.

One resident said: “For the past year I have seen neighbours become friends and the seeds sown for a wider community. I’m hoping that this continues to grow and foster the connection and support that we all need going forward.”

To mark the milestone, Freedom Leisure and Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society are inviting all local residents to attend a special open day on Tuesday 28 April. The community is encouraged to come along and experience the facility for free, with a range of activities including:

• 09:00 – 13:00 Breakfast Club (£1 coffees)
• 09:30 – 14:00 Health MOTs (blood pressure & “Know Your Numbers”)
• 11:00 – 11:45 Body Balance (FREE – booking required)
• 11:00 – 12:30 Walking Football (charges apply)
• 14:00 – 15:30 Tea & Cake Party (One Church – free refreshments)
• 18:00 – 19:00 Circuits (FREE – booking required)
• 18:00 – 20:00 Youth Club for young people in school years 7 – 11 (FREE)
• 19:30 – 20:30 Yoga (FREE – booking required)
• All Day Extras include free gym access and bring a friend for free.

The celebration has been designed to thank the community for its support over the past year and to encourage more people to discover the benefits of staying active in an inclusive, friendly environment.

Mark Gale, a Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society Director said “We are all very excited to celebrate the first birthday of this special £7 million project. It has taken more than a decade of hard work to bring our Community and Sports Hub to life.

The vision came from local people who wanted to improve their wellbeing, the hub was built by local contractors E.G. Carter & Co Ltd and together with our partners we have now created a new sports and leisure quarter serving Podsmead and the south of Gloucester. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the success of our Community and Sports Hub.”

Nick Charlton, Area Manager at Freedom Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the first anniversary of Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub. We are proud to look back on many successes, ranging from customer success stories and memorable group exercise classes through to, most importantly, embedding ourselves within the local community. Ultimately, we are focused on continuing to develop our community provision and improving lives through leisure.”

Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub continues to work in partnership with Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society to ensure the facility meets the needs of local residents and remains a key destination for health, wellbeing and connection.

For more information please contact the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub on 01452 946069.