Summer ceremony celebrates opening of Warsop Health Hub
A midday ceremony marked the official opening of the new Health Hub in Warsop as community partners praised the hub’s successful first month.
The official opening of the site was rescheduled from June 1 after the July 4 election was called as councils postponed the event due to purdah restrictions which paused community engagement during the pre-election period.
On Thursday, July 18, Mansfield and Warsop community partners attended the official opening ceremony at the new site.
The Health Hub is the result of a partnership between Mansfield Council, Sport England, and Vibrant Warsop.
The hub features a fitness suite with state-of-the-art gym equipment, a multipurpose sports hall for weekly fitness classes, and a 15m x 8m swimming pool with a splash play area. The site is home to an accessible changing village.
Coun Andy Burgin, Mansfield Council’s portfolio holder for the environment and leisure, said the venue has been a “game-changer” for residents across the parish.
Councilor Burgin said: “As a local resident, I was aware that people wanted this.
“But to see it always busy and to know that children are learning to swim is fantastic.
“It's great to see that all local schools have now signed up for swim classes here – this demonstrates how much the facility means to our community.
“Having this facility in Warsop, where most residents can walk to, is crucial for the physical and mental health and well-being of our community.”
He added that feedback had been positive, with many praising the site for its accessibility provisions and locality.
He added: “People are able to walk here or drive down the road.
“Before this, people had the added time and cost of travelling to other sites in the district.”
The new facility has been predominantly welcomed by residents who lost the Meden Sports Centre in 2018.
The Warsop Health Hub, managed by Serco Leisure and its partner More Leisure Community Trust Limited (MLCT) on behalf of Mansfield Council, has attracted hundreds of members from the parish in its opening month.
Membership also covers the usage of Oak Tree Leisure Centre, Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre and Water Meadows Leisure Complex.
During the official opening, students from Birklands School, who took part in a time capsule project while the building was being constructed, sang for the guests before a ribbon-cutting ceremony and speech was delivered by Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant Tracey Davenport was also in attendance.
The event featured site tours, plaque unveilings and light refreshments for guests.
Graham Nelson Hall BEM, who featured in the King’s New Year's Honours list for his services to youth sports in Nottinghamshire, praised the new site and said it was a vital investment for the community.
Summer Wheatley, who swims at the pool most days with her daughter, was heading to a midday swim after the ceremony.
She said: “I’ve been down to the pool most days.
“I started on 40 lengths and now I am doing over 100. It’s made me feel physically much healthier.
“The staff are lovely and always happy to chat.
“I’ve also met new people to chat with while I’m swimming – everyone is very friendly.
“It is nice to see a lot of familiar faces too.
“My daughter enjoys swimming here and seeing a lot of her friends.”