Inclusive Fitness Week 2009 will take place between 11-17 May uniting fitness facilites across the country, providing as many people as possible with the opportunity to experience new activites, or simply to understand that exercise really can and should be for all.

This year marks the second annual awareness event which was developed by the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) in 2008 bringing together IFI accredited facilities. Focusing on introducing disabled people to local leisure and physical activity opportunities, the event places inclusion firmly at the forefront of the fitness and leisure agendas.

This year's event promises to be even more significant with a focus on the nine facilities that have recently achieved IFI Mark Accreditation and who are set to officially launch as IFI Mark Facilities throughout the week.

These facilities have been awarded the nationally recognised standard of inclusion for the fitness industry, the IFI Mark. Of the nine facilities, six facilities have achieved IFI Mark - Registered Level with the others having achieved IFI Mark - Provisional Level. Through attaining the IFI Mark, facilities have been assessed in the areas of facility and service provision including accessibility of facilities, provision of inclusive fitness equipment and staff training, ensuring that staff are trained in disability equity, in addition to having suitably qualified fitness instructors in Exercise Programming for Disabled People.

Facilities that will be launching during Inclusive Fitness Week 2009 include:

Chesham Leisure Centre, Chesham, Buckinghamshire

Gang Warily Recreation Centre, Southampton, Hampshire Haslingden Sports Centre, Helmshore, Lancashire

Lammas Leisure Centre, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Larkfield Leisure Centre, Aylesford, Kent

Leigh Indoor Sports Centre, Leigh, Greater Manchester Roehampton University, Wandsworth, London

St Johns Sports Centre. Worcester, Worcestershire The Stour Centre, Ashford, Kent

Each facility will be holding their own celebratory events and activities throughout Inclusive Fitness Week 2009, of which further details can be found by visiting www.inclusivefitness.org

In addition, over 70 IFI Mark facilities across the country will also be staging events and activities throughout the week, encouraging disabled people to try the facilities on offer and emphasising how small behaviour changes can be incorporated into people's lives with a specific focus on physical activity and what a significant impact this can have.

Emma Peachey, the IFI National Manager stated: "The IFI, in partnership with the fitness industry, has made tremendous strides to ensure that disabled people have access to inclusive physical activity opportunities. Inclusive Fitness Week is paramount to ensuring that, not only are we creating inclusive environments, but that we are encouraging more people to access them."

For more information on the event or to find out how your local IFI facility is supporting Inclusive Fitness week 2009 please visit www.inclusivefitness.org

Alternatively please contact the IFI Activator and Marketing Manager, Amy Smith on 0114 257 2069 (Text phone users add prefix 18001) or email [email protected]