Anyone inspired to get active after seeing Team GB’s Olympic success can take advantage of free outdoor gym training at any one of three weekly park workouts.

For the next three months, outdoor, instructor-led workouts will be running in three borough parks as part of Wandsworth Council’s Active Lifestyles programme.

Qualified instructors will be at Heathbrook Park and Shillington Park, in Battersea, showing people how to use the outdoor gym equipment that has been installed in both of the open spaces.

In addition, weekly women-only workouts will be run from York Gardens to help local people get a great workout using the equipment there.

The council’s executive member for environment, Councillor Jonathan Cook, said: “These sessions represent a wonderful opportunity for people to get some exercise while visiting some of the borough’s open spaces.

“And the icing on the cake is that they get trained how best to use the outdoor gym equipment without having to pay a penny.”

The park workouts at Heathbrook Park – by Portslade Road/Crichton Street/St Rule Street, in SW8 – take place every Thursday from 1pm to 2pm, starting on August 16 and running for 12 weeks.

The sessions at Shillington Park, by Cranleigh Mews, SW11, are on offer every Tuesday for the next six weeks, starting on August 14 and taking place from 7pm to 8pm.

Finally the workout for women at York Gardens, in Battersea, runs from 10am to 11am every Wednesday for the next 12 weeks. They start on August 15.

Anyone taking part should bring a drink and wear loose fitting clothing. Sessions are suitable for people aged 18 and over of any fitness level.

The free sessions are funded by the Mayor of London’s FreeSport programme.



August 7, 2012