Three-time gold medallist sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey joined more than 3,500 locals on Saturday, to celebrate the completion of a £1.1 million investment project.
The free community open day took place across three newly upgraded leisure centres in North Herts – North Herts Leisure Centre, Hitchin Swimming and Fitness Centre and Royston Leisure Centre.
As well as being a familiar face on BBC TV, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey is a member of the Team GB sprint relay team.
Harry has also won medals at each of the past three Commonwealth Games, including gold at Birmingham 2022 and Gold Coast 2018. He was also a three-times gold medallist at the European Championships and won individual bronze in the 100m in the 2014 Europeans.
On Saturday morning, Harry officially opened the brand-new £750,000 refurbished gym at North Herts Leisure Centre, which now includes cutting-edge Life Fitness cardio equipment, advanced resistance equipment and brand-new free weights, benches, dumbbells and squat racks.
Also during the day at North Herts Leisure Centre, visitors were able to enjoy free gym access, free PT taster sessions and gym challenges. Everyone Active also laid on a host of other complimentary sessions, including gymnastics, soft play, pickleball, walking tennis, swimming sessions and taster lessons, as well as the opportunity to trial a session with Hitchin Water Polo Club.
Throughout the morning, excited visitors were also able to meet Harry, having the opportunity to take photos and ask questions about his impressive career to date.
Meanwhile, at Hitchin Swimming and Fitness Centre, visitors had the chance to try the inaugural sessions at Everyone Active’s first ever Reformer studio.
An avid Reformer fan, Harry joined the first session of the day, stating: “Reformer is amazing! I’ve been using Reformer for a very long time and I’m so glad it’s here in Hitchin. It gives you the strength to be a better person – in terms of being functionally fit, performing well. It’s a little secret I’ve been training with for years!
“You might think it’s just for a certain type of person but actually it’s for everyone – whether you’re younger or older, male or female. It gives you more mobility, more strength, and it’s something I would implore everyone to go and try – come have a go!”
Other free sessions at the Hitchin centre included the latest Les Mills group exercise classes and spin sessions in the brand-new spin studio, complete with 19 new Kieser bikes.
At Royston Leisure Centre, the local community enjoyed the refurbished cycling studio - now doubled in size along with its number of bikes – with free spin sessions – with Harry even joining in on a session too.
In addition, Royston offered its visitors the opportunity to trial sessions in judo, CPR training and ActiveAntz, a programme designed for under 5s which incorporates singing, soft play exploration and crafts.
In the pool, visitors enjoyed a pool inflatable session, a rookie lifeguard session and a taster session for Royston Swimming Club, a competitive swimming club which accepts swimmers from age eight years and up.
Chris Williams, Contract Manager at Everyone Active across North Herts, said: "We were absolutely thrilled to have Harry Aikines-Aryeetey join us for our open day on Saturday!
“Harry is hugely enthusiastic about fitness and he inspired visitors of all ages and backgrounds with his insightful sporting knowledge and advice - alongside his behind-the-scenes stories of popular BBC shows!
“We were also delighted to unveil our upgraded sites to the local community. We hope that those who attended – whether long time members or first-time visitors – left feeling energised and motivated to embark on or continue their fitness journeys with us.
“For those who didn’t have chance to attend, we’d be delighted to arrange tours to explore the new features and amenities.”
Sarah Kingsley, Service Director – Place at North Herts Council, said: “We’re really proud to see these fantastic upgrades completed and to celebrate with the community. Having a champion like Harry Aikines-Aryeetey join us for the day made it extra special. These improvements to our leisure centres mean residents can enjoy even better facilities, whether they’re new to fitness or long-time members.”
Everyone Active began its leisure management partnership with North Herts Council in April 2024.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey also works with Everyone Active on the company’s Sporting Champions programme, helping mentor aspiring athletes in the community.
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