FIA announces Commit to Get Fit award winners

The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) last night unveiled the winners of its Commit to Get Fit campaign awards and presented two clubs with its award for excellence because the standard of both was so high they couldn’t be separated.

The joint winners were the London Borough of Hillingdon and Thanet Leisureforce, while runner-up Rhydycar Leisure Centre was also recognised for its contribution to the campaign.

The awards, sponsored by YMCA Fitness Recruitment, took place at The Trafalgar in Greenwich, London, following a cruise down the Thames on The Pridella.

The Central YMCA club in London; LivingWell Health Club, Hilton East Midlands and Aces Health and Fitness Club in East Grinstead each won the award for the highest number of enrolments in three categories: clubs with more than 1,500 members, clubs with fewer than 1,500 members and leisure centres respectively.

In the award for clubs which converted the highest number of Commit to Get Fit participants to full members, Vale Health and Racquets Club in Vale of Glamorgan won the over 1,500 member category for converting 49 per cent of its participants to full members. Coaching Station Health and Fitness Centre in Flintshire converted 66 per cent to win in the under 1,500 members category and Clifton Hill Sports Centre in Exeter won the leisure centre category for converting all of its Commit to Get fit participants to full membership.

The campaign’s nominated charity this year was Diabetes UK and Roko Health Club in Nottingham, Ladies Workout Express in Cheadle and Highgrove Pool in Middlesex were rewarded for raising the most money: £3,500, £1,200 and £2,876 respectively.

The FIA also recognises the ideas clubs come up with to raise money for charity and the award for the most innovative challenge went to Lifestyle Health and Leisure Club in Hayling Island – the club was nominated for four out of the five Commit to Get Fit awards – for organising an uphill space hopper event.

Also shortlisted were Fitness Unlimited in Galashiels, which held Olympic-themed activities and Castle Place Leisure Centre in Wiltshire which held both an It’s a Knockout-style event and a black tie ball attracting more than 10,000 people. The award was presented by Robin Gargrave, director of YMCA Fitness Industry Training.

So far, £25,000 has been raised for Diabetes UK, with many clubs still sending in money. A further £1,300 was raised by the 200 attendees at the awards.

The FIA award for excellence was sponsored by Actif Sales.