Community gym planned as leisure centre closes

Rutland County Council said it had been left with "very little choice" but to close the centre

A community group is aiming to set up a new gym in response to the closure of their local leisure centre.

Former members of Catmose Sports Centre in Rutland are looking for a new place to exercise after the facility shuts to the public on Friday.

Andrea Gordon-Kerr, 53, who has used the centre since it opened, is devastated it is closing.

She is one of about 180 members who are in the process of fundraising to open a community interest company which would run a leisure facility in the county.

Andréa Gordon-Kerr, 53, is hoping to set up a community gym as Rutland's only subsidised leisure centre closes

The closure of Catmose Sports Centre follows a long battle over its future.

It was the last council-subsidised leisure facility in the county, but was forced to shut after Rutland County Council withdrew funding.

Ms Gordon-Kerr, 53, from Oakham, who now runs ultra marathons, credited the gym at the centre with helping her become fitter than she was in her 20.

"I was overweight and not very fit and not very confident," she said.

"It's a breakup of a family and a community, that's how painful it feels."

Nic Byrne, 53, also from Oakham, has been a member of Catmose Sports Centre for 11 years.

She said: "These people have been friends for a long time, elderly people, people who have mental health issues are now going to try and re-establish connections elsewhere."

Nic Byrne, 53, has been a member of Catmose Leisure Centre for 11 years

Oakham Co-operative Fitness is a community interest company aiming to create a not-for-profit gym owned by its members.

A premises for the facility has already been found and the group have raised half the £7,500 needed to launch the project.

Talking about the issue in April, Rutland County Council leader, Gale Waller said: "In order to balance our books we have extremely challenging savings targets over the next four years, and committing funding to a 10-year contract with a private company for non-statutory provision, limits the flexibility we, and our successors will have to react should the council's savings targets not be met."

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