Workout to help out

[bjjgirl]

I have been thinking about the government scheme I'd eat out to help out and believe that if the same funding was put into healthy activities, grass roots sports, gyms, dance and theatre then people would end up happier and healthier and the sectors would get a well needed boost.

We would build home grown talent, instead of eat out to help out which has little health benefits for great risk.

Any thoughts?

It’s a great idea but I’m not sure it could be implemented properly until social distancing is over. My gym classes were always fully booked, as were most swim sessions after they reopened last year. Long-standing members wouldn’t be impressed if they couldn’t book on classes after being loyal customers for years and waited patiently throughout all this for them to reopen again. There was always space in the gym though; so perhaps it could be an option for just gym use! Agree the industry does need more Gvt support though so definitely worth discussing!

Personally I disagree with these schemes that subsidise those who largely can already afford things. I would prefer a more sensible, targeted approach to post-covid investment. We won't get this with current government, but it would be my preference.

I think the other risk is that just like EOTHO, this would drive cases up, so shouldn't be done until after all adults are vaccinated.

Actually it would reduce crime, look at all the areas with scheme to tackle child exploitation they are all heavily involved in sports.

Just by simply accommodating children for a few hours in a sports setting can be a chance for the child to disclose child abuse, to make a connection and to find a passion.

By funding all children for a part of this (similar to preschool hours), the young people will get a chance to socialise outside their normal circle, it may increase social mobility.

Drug taking is not the only crime, lots of children's become victims of crime. Increasing their self esteem which so many sports do may help with this.

Brilliant . I would love this

Our local leisure centre is offering a half price membership, you pay now for a year but it doesn't start until they open

By funding all children for a part of this (similar to preschool hours), the young people will get a chance to socialise outside their normal circle, it may increase social mobility.

This wouldn't be anything like EOTHO then, it would be a youth club/scheme, which I would support. If it were fully funded support for disadvantaged young people then yes. But not for everyone imo, I don't need this, my children already mix.

EOTHO was financial incentives for those who could already afford to eat out.

Just brilliant!

Adults can and should access sports. There are absolutely loads of free or very cheap clubs screaming out for new members. C25k app is free, billions of youtube workouts free, running clubs for beginners and above are usually either free or a few quid a week, netball, 5 a aside football, football blah blah blah.

It's children and teenagers that need targeted support and children and teenagers that need the encouragement and financial support. Never understood why swimming isn't on the national curriculum still. Most kids like swimming. Afterschool sports provision isn't brilliant these says. There were quite a few things dd could have done when she was younger, ds at 7 has been offered film club and lego club.

Most teenagers would have a go at watersports like kayaking or stand up paddle board. Open water swimming has soared in popularity, horse riding schools are massively struggling due to lockdown. All these things are appealing to teenagers and children. My dcs aren't particularly sporty, dd in particular but both adore watersports (lucky enough to have an amazing cheap club literally on our doorstep).

If there were to be any funding for sports it should go to children and teens. Adults can and should take responsibility for their own health. It's free to walk, run and plenty of adult only fitness classes for a few quid a week or online for free.

In an ideal world sport would be free and encouraged for everyone, the reality is there isn't enough money and it's kids who need and deserve it more.

Fantastic idea OP, I really do not think that this country needs encouragement to eat more and a healthy lifestyle drive would be far more beneficial to us all mentally and physically. I would also support more money for sports and extra curricular activities in schools given that kids have missed out on so much.

The thing that puts me off going to gyms etc is having to book the obligatory ‘induction’ session.
It’s so annoying. I love it in lots of places in Europe that you just walk in and use a gym in a health centre/ pool complex without the whole drama of being weighed and measured and asked about your ‘goals’. So I’d love a scheme like this but with a bit more of a relaxed access to local leisure centre gyms etc. So you could dip in and out, pick and choose, rather than being tied to one place because it’s so much hassle to enroll in more than one.

I would be worried that it would cause a massive rise in eating disorders. This whole thing has really been polarized into good and bad and that isn't a healthy attitude to have to diet, exercise and lifestyle. I already feel I should only eat tinned food because it's 'essentials' although it plays into the security of a safe food that has the calories in black and white on the label. If I felt that exercise was a way to absolve me of the guilt that I can't improve the situation for front liners I think I would very quickly descend into using exercise as a punishment. Maybe it takes a certain level of disordered thinking to feel this way but with mental health fragile I feel that it may risk pushing people towards eating disorders.

This is already being campaigned/petitioned for (can't remember what the group leading it are called) as my gym have got behind it and are trying to get as many people to sign the petition.

Love it! Email your MP and link to this thread!

Ooh petition link please?

@User2941 It was a while ago that my gym emailed it out but I'll try and find it

Very surprised that a gym would want this, it will annoy their existing full price paying customers & possibly lead to losing them.

@Frouby

Adults can and should access sports. There are absolutely loads of free or very cheap clubs screaming out for new members. C25k app is free, billions of youtube workouts free, running clubs for beginners and above are usually either free or a few quid a week, netball, 5 a aside football, football blah blah blah.

It's children and teenagers that need targeted support and children and teenagers that need the encouragement and financial support. Never understood why swimming isn't on the national curriculum still. Most kids like swimming. Afterschool sports provision isn't brilliant these says. There were quite a few things dd could have done when she was younger, ds at 7 has been offered film club and lego club.

Most teenagers would have a go at watersports like kayaking or stand up paddle board. Open water swimming has soared in popularity, horse riding schools are massively struggling due to lockdown. All these things are appealing to teenagers and children. My dcs aren't particularly sporty, dd in particular but both adore watersports (lucky enough to have an amazing cheap club literally on our doorstep).

If there were to be any funding for sports it should go to children and teens. Adults can and should take responsibility for their own health. It's free to walk, run and plenty of adult only fitness classes for a few quid a week or online for free.

In an ideal world sport would be free and encouraged for everyone, the reality is there isn't enough money and it's kids who need and deserve it more.

The thing is that if the parents don't buys in the kids won't either, this is a lifestyle change. By semi funding it like eotho it still keeps the buy in from people and it will filter to other sectors eg retail.

@nancy75

Very surprised that a gym would want this, it will annoy their existing full price paying customers & possibly lead to losing them.

No but the paying members would have their members ups subsidised, rewarding those who currently are members, freeing up extra cash for them.

@Frouby swimming is part of the national curriculum in primary, they are meant to reach certain standards by the end of KS2. Mine swam as a PE lesson for 4 terms in total over years 2-4

That's such a good idea.

It would be fab even if outdoor exercise classes could be put on with a donation to charity.

It shouldn't be too hard to do SD and sectors would get the well needed boost to their funds.

On top of sports classes re opening. There won't be any elite sports people coming through this year because only current elite can train and they will have to retire at some point with a years gap.

@bjjgirl I can’t imagine a scheme that’s going to backdate discounts for contracts already in place.
It would end up with new people getting a deal & filling up the gym/glass and existing customers being annoyed.
As mentioned I work in this industry, most of us would be busier than ever if we could actually open

If you want to help the sports industry campaign to get us open as early as possible.

[quote nancy75]@bjjgirl I can’t imagine a scheme that’s going to backdate discounts for contracts already in place.
It would end up with new people getting a deal & filling up the gym/glass and existing customers being annoyed.
As mentioned I work in this industry, most of us would be busier than ever if we could actually open[/quote]
The gym I go to reduced membership fees by £5/month for people who kept their membership going through the first lockdown as a thank you so I can't see why they couldn't change them again. Also as they were on a huge new membership drive last summer and there was limited capacity at the gym, existing members got priority booking which again I assume would be the same of this happened.

How long did they reduce membership for? Was it just while they were closed or very restricted opening?

[quote Eccle80]@Frouby swimming is part of the national curriculum in primary, they are meant to reach certain standards by the end of KS2. Mine swam as a PE lesson for 4 terms in total over years 2-4[/quote]
This must have changed then, dd did 2 terms of swim lessons with primary I think. She had already had private lessons, half of her class could swim and half couldn't and that didn't change with about 13 hours of coached swimming in a group of 30 kids all at different levels.

Certainly with watching 2 dcs learn to swim in smaller groups of 6, then with dd semi private lessons with 2, it takes a lot longer than even 4 terms to get a child competent in even breaststroke and backstroke.