A new gym has opened at Alderman Smith School in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The school – already awarded Sports College status, as well as winning Sports England’s Sportsmark Gold Award – unveiled the gym as part of a new £2.3m sports development centre.

The Synergy gym has around 30 stations – supplied by Nautilus in a deal worth around £75,000 – including equipment that allows children to exercise without putting stress on their joints.

Other facilities on offer include a dance studio, plus netball, basketball and badminton courts.

As well as catering for the school’s sporting requirements, Alderman Smith acts as a regional centre for promoting excellence in physical education and community sports.

The new centre will therefore be open to the public outside of school hours, from 5-10pm, when it will be managed by Warwickshire County Council-employed gym staff and run as a separate, for-profit business.

Funding for the project came from the Lottery, England netball and badminton, and general fundraising efforts.

Photograph: England and Leicester Tigers captain Martin Corry conducted the official opening of the gym