Kirklees Council is to invest £30,000 in the development of an outdoor gym next to the children’s play area in Dewsbury’s Crows Nest Park. The facilities are similar to indoor gyms but are made from more robust materials to make them weatherproof.

Equipment for the facility – to be called the The Steve Backley Legacy Gym will come from The Great Outdoor Gym Company (TGOGC) which has already opened three other facilities in Glasgow, Leeds and Greater London, with five more due to be installed across the UK this spring.

The new site has been made possible by funding from Dewsbury’s Area Committee and has been championed by committee chair Eric Firth, who said “the aim is to get adults and older people more active. What could be better for parents and grandparents than getting themselves some exercise while their children enjoy the play equipment in the same park?”

See our feature on outdoor gyms in April Health Club Management magazine. Details: +44 (0)1462 431385