Partnership project provides free junior activity memberships to young people in Northampton

09 July 2024

Northampton East Local Area Partnership (LAP) has partnered with Trilogy Active at Lings Forum Leisure Centre to offer free Junior Memberships to children in the area who might not otherwise have access to them.

The programme delivered by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and Trilogy Active will start just before the summer holidays, providing 75 six-month junior memberships. 

Three Primary Schools in close proximity to Lings Forum Leisure Centre are participating in the programme including Thorplands Primary, Standens Barn and Lumbertubs, with each school allocating 25 memberships to selected students.

Students will be selected based on means testing for those on free school meals, with the schools selecting the students they feel would benefit most from the programme.

Compared to West Northamptonshire and the national average, East Northampton faces higher levels of total crime and anti-social behaviour, unemployment and unemployment benefit claimants. This programme aims to eliminate the financial barriers to physical activity for local young people, in turn promoting healthier communities.

The impact of the pilot will be monitored and evaluated to understand whether the removal of financial barriers increases physical activity, improves mental health and the wider determinants of health.

The Junior Active Memberships will provide access to either a weekly lesson or club, including swimming, gymnastics or football. The membership will also give the students access to after school buzz clubzz, holiday activities, kids’ screenings at the Forum Cinema, swimming, term time Berzerk active play entry for under 10s, gym use for 11+, off peak racket sports, and roller skating.

“This project is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Northampton to access a wide range of physical activities which they may not have otherwise had access to.

“Through this exciting partnership project we hope to inspire young people to develop healthy habits, boost mental health and promote overall wellbeing in the community.”Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC

“We are genuinely really pleased to be a part of this important and empowering project. By providing 75 Junior Active Memberships to children across the East of Northampton we are ensuring they have the opportunity to have a weekly swimming, gymnastics or football lesson along with use our swimming pools, our cinema and after school and holiday activities such as roller skating, dodgeball and basketball.

“We are making this investment of over £26,000 because we are passionate about the physical and emotional wellbeing of children from across the community that we serve. We look forward to welcoming them to our centres and are proud to work in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council on this exciting venture.”John Fletcher, Managing Director of Trilogy Active

“We are really grateful to have been able to work in partnership with Trilogy Active to provide memberships for some of our pupils.

“At our school, we are passionate about ensuring our children receive enriching active opportunities, and being able to offer free Junior Active Memberships certainly achieves that.

“The families I have spoken to have been really grateful too, and the pupils are excited to start their memberships.”Beth Conroy, Thorplands Primary School Teacher