Rising stars can apply to access leisure facilities for free

Boxers who are members of a national or regional squad can apply for free access to a range of facilities at Parkwood Leisure venues through its Promising Athletes Programmes.

The initiative from one of the UK’s leading leisure operators will enable selected individuals to use gyms, swimming pools and group exercise, as well as off-peak racket sports, for a 12-month period.

After this time, applicants who continue to meet the eligibility criteria will be able to extend their membership for another 12 months.

More than 80 sports and leisure facilities across England and Wales, including over 60 gyms and 44 swimming pools, are part of the scheme, and members will also receive guest passes to use their local leisure centre alongside friends and family.

“We know that one of the biggest challenges for up-and-coming athletes is not only the availability of facilities, but also the cost associated with using them,” said Glen Hall, Managing Director of Parkwood Leisure.

“In launching the Promising Athletes Programme, we hope to support local talented athletes enabling them to pursue sporting excellence. We also believe the programme will help nurture future budding athletes to realise their sporting potential.”

Who is eligible?

Applicants must meet one of the following criteria in order to be accepted on the programme (which can relate to pre-Covid-19):

• Member of a national squad and ranked in the top 50 for their sport and age group in the last competitive season.
• Member of a regional squad and competing at a regional level in the last competitive season.
• Top eight finish at a regional (or equivalent) competition in the last competitive season.

How to apply 

The Promising Athletes Programme will open for applications on Wednesday 1st September and will close at the end of that month.

Applicants must complete an online form available via the landing page and provide evidence to support the eligibility criteria as outlined above.

For more details about the programme, including terms and conditions of the membership and the application form, please click here.