The Aspire Leisure Centre held its first Disability Exercise Open Day on Saturday 18th April. The aim of the Open Day was to showcase the variety of sports and activities that are available for disabled people. Activities ranged from yoga and Zumba to dance, rowing and golf.  There were stalls with information, experts to talk to and taster sessions throughout the day.  The event was a great success, with over 100 people visiting the Centre to learn more about the activities available to them and to try out some of the classes.

Taster sessions included Seated with a Smile, Zumba Gold, Seated Yoga, Qigong and Extend Fitness.  The Wheelchair Dance Sport Association held a wheelchair dance session as did Herts Inclusive Theatre and Inclusive Dance. Disabled people could also try out FES Rowing and Wheelchair Golf run by The Golf Trust, whilst in the swimming pool there were sessions of Water Walking and Aqua Stretch.



The event ended with Wheelchair Basketball training for both adults and children, by Aspire’s Joe Gilbert.  The adults then played a match with the London Titans Wheelchair Basketball team, who regularly train at the Aspire Leisure Centre.

Brian Carlin, CEO of Aspire, comments: “I am delighted that our first Disability Exercise Open Day was such a great success, as the Aspire Leisure Centre was the first fully accessible Training Centre in Europe for disabled and non-disabled people, and around a third of our members are disabled.  The aim of the Open Day was to increase awareness of the many different types of exercise and activities which are available for disabled people to participate in, many of which we offer at the Aspire Leisure Centre, or hope to offer in the future.”