A REVIEW of pool space and opening hours at Thornbury Leisure Centre is being introduced in order to encourage more people in the community to get active.

The centre, which is run by the not-for-profit organisation Circadian Trust, has looked for a way to address the dwindling adult participation in swimming and, following a recent survey of members, they have begun making changes in line with their “Swim Strategy”.

The pool will now be open on a Monday and Tuesday from 06:30am for lane swimming, to allow more people to be able to access the facilities prior to starting their working day – something members indicated would encourage them to swim more frequently.

This first wave of change has been followed by a review of the gym opening times, which will now also open at the earlier time of 06:15am on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

The Leisure Centre’s survey found that the number of adult users to the pool were in decline, which is in line with national statistics. At the end of last year figures showed that the number of adults swimming nationally had fallen by more than three quarters of a million in the past decade – almost 24 per cent.

Andy Robinson, manager at Thornbury Leisure Centre, said: “We want to encourage as many people as possible to use our facilities, to enable members to live healthy and active lifestyles.

“By keeping tabs on how and when our members use the services we provide, and asking for their feedback, we can ensure that we are evolving to meet new demands and maximise participation in the sport and leisure opportunities on offer.”