Clay Cross Active Archives

North East Derbyshire Residents take part in Summer ‘New Age Kurling’ tournament at Clay Cross Active

Around 70 residents came together at Clay Cross Active to take part in a New Age Kurling tournament organised by Rykneld Homes’ Community Involvement Team and North East Derbyshire District Council’s Active & Healthy Lifestyles Team

The event brought together competitors from across North East Derbyshire, creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for people of all ages and abilities.

New Age Kurling is adapted to be fully accessible, it allows people to take part regardless of physical ability, making it a popular activity within community sessions and wellbeing programmes.

The tournament gave residents the opportunity to try something new, meet others from around the District and enjoy friendly competition in a supportive environment.

Our community activities programme ‘Walking Into Communities’ offers a range of activities across the district aimed at helping people stay active, improve their health and connect with others. Sessions are designed to be inclusive and accessible, supporting people who may be new to physical activity or returning after a break.

Get involved

Residents interested in trying New Age Kurling or other community groups can find out more about local sessions and how to take part by visiting:
https://www.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/community/activities/walking-into-communities#h2-3

Clay Cross Active celebrates one year with busy community open day!

Clay Cross Active marked its first anniversary with a day of activity, bringing together residents, members and partners to celebrate a successful first year at the centre.

The day began early, with a series of popular morning fitness sessions including BodyPump at 6.10am, Kettlebells at 7.00am and Stronger for Longer at 8.30am – all well attended by enthusiastic Just Do More members.

During the morning, Councillor Kathy Rouse, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, visited the centre for a tour of the facilities. She was joined by Assistant Director for Leisure, Chris Mills, and Centre Manager, Michael Price, as they met staff and spoke with visitors. The tour included stops at the busy gym and the outdoor 3G pitch.

Throughout the day, people of all ages made use of the centre’s wide range of activities. Visitors enjoyed swimming, gym workouts, fitness classes and Tag Active sessions. A programme of special offers and activities also ran alongside the celebrations, including free sessions, discounts on protein shakes and free Tag Active in the evening.

The celebrations continued into the evening with a live DJ set from 5pm to 8pm, helping to create a lively, celebratory atmosphere across the centre.

One of the highlights of the day was the Big Summer Sweat workout in the evening, free for members, which saw more than 50 people take part. The session brought together members of the community for a shared fitness challenge and added to the good feel of the day. There were also over 80 attendances to the free TAG Active sessions with over 40 attending the 5.15pm session alone.

A strong first year

Since opening, Clay Cross Active has quickly become a popular destination for health, wellbeing and social activities in the area. Key highlights from the first year include:

Over 3,000 local residents now hold a membership at the centre.
The 3G pitch attracts more than 4,000 visits each month, with many of those being young people.
NHS and Citizens Advice services based at the site have seen appointments increase by around 25% since the centre opened.
More than 45,000 visits to the centre were recorded in March 2026.
Sharley’s Café continues to provide a space for people to meet, socialise and connect.
Over 15 local groups and clubs regularly use the centre, including swimming, paddleboarding, fencing, football, athletics, pickleball and badminton.
More than 800 children take part in swimming lessons each week.

The One Year Celebration Anniversary open day highlighted the important role Clay Cross Active plays in supporting both physical activity and community wellbeing for local residents.

Thank you to everybody who’s been to visit throughout the year to help make the first year such a huge success.

Clay Cross Active Celebrates One Year with Community Open Day 18 June 2026

Clay Cross Active is turning one this June, and everyone is invited to celebrate!

To mark its first anniversary, the centre is hosting a full day of activities. The open day is designed to welcome both existing members and new visitors, with free activities, live entertainment and special offers throughout the day.

A Day of Fitness, Fun and Community

The anniversary open day aims to showcase everything the centre has to offer, while creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere for residents.

Visitors can expect:

A range of free activities for all ages
Opportunities to try out facilities
A chance to meet the team
A vibrant, celebratory atmosphere throughout the centre

Decorations including balloons and bunting will help mark the occasion, creating a real party feel across key areas.

What’s On

Summer Sweat – Mass Workout Event

Time: 17:45 – 18:45
Location: Sports Hall
Cost: Free

Get ready to move with Summer Sweat, a high-energy group workout led by the Healthy Lifestyles Instructor team. This large-scale session is designed to be fun, inclusive and suitable for all fitness levels, whether you’re a regular gym-goer or just getting started.

TAG Active – Free Kids Sessions

Time: 16:15 – 20:30
Session times: 16:15, 17:15, 18:30, 19:30
Age: 8+
Cost: Free

Young visitors can enjoy free access to the popular TAG Active arena throughout the evening. These sessions are perfect for keeping children active, engaged and having fun, while parents take advantage of other facilities or relax in the café.

Live DJ in the Gym

Time: 17:00 – 20:00

Enjoy a live DJ set while you work out, bringing added energy and atmosphere to the gym during peak hours. Whether you’re lifting, running or just soaking up the vibe, it’s a great way to celebrate in style.

Protein Shake Promotion – Sharley’s Café

Available: All day
Price: From £2 (usually £3.75)

Refuel and refresh with a discounted protein shake from Sharley’s Café, with flavours including:

Strawberry & Summer Fruits
Chocolate & Banana

This special offer is a great way to tie into the fitness theme of the day while enjoying a post-workout treat.

Meet Stanley the Mascot

Keep an eye out for Stanley the STA mascot, who may be making a special appearance to greet young swimmers and families. This fun addition helps create a memorable experience for children attending lessons and strengthens the centre’s partnership with STA.

Come and Celebrate

Whether you’re already a member or thinking of visiting for the first time, the Clay Cross Active open day is the perfect opportunity to get involved.

From high-energy workouts to family-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone, so why not come along, explore the centre and be part of the celebrations?

On the road to wellness – CCA testimonials

Our Wellness Suite at Clay Cross Active has been proving a big hit with customers.

The suite, which has power-assisted equipment, is suitable for all fitness levels and is ideal for those who are less mobile, suffering from illness or undergoing post-operative rehabilitation.

Take a look below to see how our customers are enjoying and benefitting from using the suite:

Jane’s story

Jane in wellness suite

Jane has been visiting the Wellness Suite since July 2025.

Jane said: “I’d describe it as a gym for someone who can’t do the gym and that suits me just fine.

“It’s very friendly, the staff are really helpful and encouraging. People you meet are chatty or not, it just depends, and altogether it’s not in any way intimidating.”

After a total knee replacement seven years ago and problems with her spine, she believes her condition has been helped by the exercise she’s been doing.

Her son, who hadn’t seen her for a while, also commented she was walking straighter.

Rachel’s story

Rachel in wellness suite

Since losing her husband, Rachel, who is in her mid-80s made it her mission to get healthier and the Wellness Suite has been perfect in helping with her wellness journey.

Rachel said: “I love it! I am a gym person, but I’d vegetated for a while and not done a lot because I’ve had a lot of family difficulties. Anyway, I’m nearly back into the swim and I’m also doing a gym programme as well so I’m trying to get fit again.

“I’m really enjoying it and it’s made me more relaxed and physically stronger.

“The staff are superb. You can’t fault them. Very helpful and knowledgeable.

“It’s a really nice and social doing you good kind of atmosphere. It’s great.”

Val’s story

Val in the Wellness Suite

Val was recommended to come and try the Wellness Suite by her son and she’s not looked back.

Val said: “You can do as much or as little as you want. Do it at your pace and you gradually build up.

“I’m glad I came. I’m glad my son encouraged me to come. It’s brilliant.

“The staff are brilliant and I’ve made friends.

“I’ve never been to a gym in my life, or done anything, but as soon as I came I was relaxed. Everyone was nice.”

Coral’s story

Coral in the Wellness Suite

Coral found out about the Wellness Suite while swimming in the pool at Clay Cross Active and has been visiting ever since.

Her new-found fitness now lets her push her wheelchair herself

Coral said: “I don’t have full use of any of my limbs properly and so being able to just hold onto a machine that moves you at first was amazing. I’ve never had an opportunity of anything like that before.

“It makes your muscles stronger, everything feels much better. For me especially it moves parts of my body I can’t move myself.”

View videos of all our Wellness Suite testimonials

Book a session – available 7 days a week.

UKSPF Funding Boosts Leisure Careers Across North East Derbyshire!

Recruitment in leisure services at North East Derbyshire District Council has transformed thanks to £20,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding, enabling residents and staff to gain vital qualifications and start a new career.

Since July 2025, the Council have utilised UKSPF funding to train staff and members of the public for roles in leisure services, which include Leisure Attendants, Gymnastics Instructors, Swimming Teachers, and potentially NPLQ Trainer Assessors (lifeguard trainers).

By creating a pipeline of qualified instructors and lifeguards, the Council is strengthening its leisure services, ensuring classes and swimming sessions can run smoothly and safely. For residents, this means more opportunities to access high-quality fitness and swimming lessons locally, while those who gain qualifications benefit from secure employment and the chance to build a rewarding career in health and wellbeing.

This initiative has been a game-changer for recruiting into hard-to-fill posts, breaking down financial barriers to training and opening doors for those transitioning into a new field.

So far, the funding has supported:

6 British Gymnastics Activity Instructors / Level 1 Instructors
6 Swimming Instructors gaining Level 1 & 2 teaching awards (with 5 now employed
17 Pool Lifeguards

Clay Cross Active

Index 1 – Clay Cross Active.

A lifeguard.

Index 2 – A lifeguard.

These newly trained staff are now working across Eckington, Dronfield, and Clay Cross leisure facilities. Participants include upskilled staff, volunteers who have joined the workforce, and residents who have embraced a fresh start in leisure careers.

Councillor Kathy Rouse, portfolio holder for Health and Leisure said “It’s great to see the UK Shared Prosperity Fund being utilised to help upskill residents in North East Derbyshire through this important training, helping to further their careers, whilst also contributing to the success of our Leisure Centres. Congratulations to those who have qualified, we look forward to seeing you poolside!”

To find out more about North East Derbyshire Leisure Centres or to become a member, please visit Just Do More Memberships – Just Do More! .

Recruitment in leisure services at North East Derbyshire District Council has received £20,000 from the UK Government and EMCCA through the Shared Prosperity Fund.

This project is funded by @East Midlands Combined County Authority and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is providing £25.17 million of funding for local investment across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 2025/26. This funding, distributed by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), aims to boost pride in place and increase life chances in the region. The investment will focus on supporting communities and businesses, as well as developing skills for individuals.

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