The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is to invest in more health and fitness facilities for young people following the success of its first youth gym.

The council invested more than £100,000 in a Shokk gym for eight to 18-year-olds at the Leisure Centre in Keighley, Bradford. Launched in February, the facility has exceeded expectations with 500 members.

Two further sites have now opened at Parkside Secondary School and Cullingworth and Newhall Park Primary School covering three of the School Sports Partnerships in the borough. School Sport Partnerships are groups of schools working together to develop PE and sport opportunities for all young people.

The council plans to have a Shokk facility in all five partnerships in the future. The move follows a survey by the council’s social services department in 2005, which found that young people in the area wanted more access to health and fitness facilities, especially gyms.

“Bradford Council is keen to increase the opportunities for young people to access gyms for themselves and the sites with SHOKK facilities are an example of how we are achieving this,” said Phil Wagner of Bradford’s educational client team.

Meanwhile, Shokk has opened its fourth youth gym for Birmingham City Council. Located at the Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre, the gym joins sister facilities at Aston Villa Football Club, Kingsbury Community Leisure Centre and Great Barr Leisure Centre.