Early Christmas present for our veterans

Armed forces veterans are getting an early Christmas present from Bury Leisure, Bury Council’s in-house sport and fitness provider.

From 1 December all veterans from Bury can now use council-run leisure centres for free.

Bury Council and NHS Bury CCG have recently signed a new armed forces covenant which helps to give serving members, veterans and their families the support they need and deserve.

It formally recognises the contribution that serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families make to Bury, ensuring that they are not disadvantaged and, in certain specific areas, are actually given priority.

Free membership of leisure facilities to veterans is part of the commitment shown to military personnel from the town. It means veterans will now join serving personnel in having free access.

“Bury has a long and proud military tradition and offering free membership to our gyms is just one of the things we can do to help our veterans,” said Councillor Richard Gold, cabinet member for communities and armed forces champion.

“Our armed forces defend our nation and keep us safe in the most dangerous of circumstances, and we have a moral obligation to ensure we look after them and their families.

“The covenant commits us all to support armed forces personnel, veterans and their families in key areas such as employment and skills, health and wellbeing, housing, and integration with the local community.”

Councillor Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said that serving military personnel have been entitled to free access to gyms for a while.

“I’m pleased that we have been able to extend the free leisure offer to our veterans. They have given service to the town, borough and nation and this is just one of the things we can do to support them and help with their wellbeing.

Dr Cathy Fines, chair of Bury NHS CCG, added: “Our armed forces community should be able to enjoy the same standard of care and access to both physical and emotional health care as every member of our community.”

Veterans will be able to use the facilities at all three council-run leisure centres – Castle, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom.

The all-inclusive membership includes:

• 3 swimming pools
• 3 new state-of-the-art gyms
• Fitness sessions – instructor-led and virtual
• Racquet sports – badminton, squash and table tennis
• Fitness tech – Swimtag, Boditrax and Matrix fitness app
• Wellbeing support from Bury Live Well Service

To apply, veterans should come along to any of our leisure centres and show a form of ID. This can be any of the following:

• MOD 90 ID card
• BOBVA ID card
• Bury Veterans hub café ID card
• Veterans rail card
• Defence discount card
• Discharge papers

For further information about Bury Leisure visit www.bury.gov.uk/buryleisure or follow @BuryLeisure. For further information about the support available for members of the armed forces see our website: https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16267