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.