Bringing exercise back in reach - Phil Trodden

Last year, in the midst of the first lockdown, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson told us that ‘exercise is the wonder drug’ that should be available to all. Over a year and multiple lockdowns later, the role that physical activity can play in helping us to build back stronger and healthier couldn’t be more important.

Phil Trodden is an Active Communities Development Officer with Edinburgh Leisure.

The problem we have in Edinburgh is that while we are one of the country’s wealthiest cities, we also have some of the greatest levels of inequality. For many people, being active simply feels out of their reach.

Even before the pandemic, as many as one in five people in the city were living in poverty. For people already struggling to make ends meet, the past 18 months have exacerbated the inequalities they faced. Edinburgh experienced a bigger increase in unemployment than any other part of Scotland last summer, with the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors that so much of our workforce rely on struck down.

Poverty and poor health are inextricably linked, with people on low incomes more likely to live with multiple long-term health conditions, experience poor mental health, and have a lower life expectancy. The terrifying statistic that a boy born in the New Town will live, on average, 21 years longer than a boy born in Niddrie is testament to that.

The Jump In project teaches over 400 pre-school children affected by poverty to swim each year. Image: Stuart Nicol Photography

At Edinburgh Leisure, we are a charity committed to helping people in Edinburgh stay active and well. We understand how stressful low pay and unstable employment can be, especially when coupled with being a single parent, caring for a family member or dealing with the everyday challenges of living with a disability. We believe that an active lifestyle should be available to everyone and that is why we have introduced measures to make being active more accessible for people on lower incomes.

Thanks to support from Baillie Gifford, our Jump In project teaches over 400 pre-school children affected by poverty to swim each year. We work with nursery schools in areas of deprivation to offer families a free block of swimming lessons, a 50 per cent discount on further swimming lessons and the chance to go swimming with their family for just £1 per visit.

The children have never attended swimming lessons – many have never even set foot in a swimming pool before – but by the end of their 12 weeks they have already improved their swimming ability, increased their water confidence and become safer around water. The project benefits their families too, with the swimming sessions enabling parents and children to spend quality time together, make happy memories and develop healthy habits.

Sarah, whose daughter Isla took part in Jump In, told us:

“I used to swim regularly but since having my girls I’ve struggled to find the time or money to be active. By the time I’ve paid my bills, fed my family and paid for childcare while I’m at work, there’s nothing left to spend on joining the gym or enrolling the girls in swimming lessons. Jump In has made being active as a family far more accessible. Now we go swimming together at the weekends and I’ve been able to sign Isla up to more lessons.”

Our two new reduced rate memberships are also making accessing our facilities more affordable for people on lower incomes. Our £10 a month Get Active Membership is available to those in receipt of benefits while our Youth Membership is available to under 18s.

At a time when health inequalities are more pronounced than ever, we are proud to offer opportunities that ensure an active lifestyle can be for everyone. For more information on how we support people on lower incomes to be active, contact Phil Trodden at [email protected]

Phil Trodden is an Active Communities Development Officer with Edinburgh Leisure