Ipswich's world number one compound archer, Commonwealth gold medallist and Olympic hopeful Nicky Hunt officially opened The Gym, Ipswich on 17 February in the former St Matthews Baths.

The new affordable gym opened to the public in the centre of Ipswich in January offering state-of-the-art workout stations for just £12.99 per month.

Abbeycroft Leisure, which manages both Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centres in Suffolk in partnership with St Edmundsbury Borough Council, is one of a handful of leisure trusts in the UK to branch out and develop an affordable fitness model.

Abbeycroft has been working on the project with Leeds-based Your Management Solutions Limited, a leading consultancy service specialising in the leisure industry.

Jamie Lyne, Managing Director of Your Management Solutions Limited, said: "This is a very exciting project for Abbeycroft and I think a very entrepreneurial move for them. Affordable fitness is an area that is growing rapidly and I think this model will almost certainly be taken up by other leisure trusts. Abbeycroft is among those leisure trusts who are leading the way."

The new gym is on two floors with one hundred Matrix fitness stations including a first for Suffolk - the brand new Virtual Active experience, a revolutionary workout experience which simulates climbing, running and hiking along some of the world's most beautiful landmarks.

Archer Nicky Hunt performed the opening ceremony by cutting a ribbon in front of invited guests from the local community including the Mayor of Ipswich Cllr Jane Chambers who was delighted to see a major refurbishment of the building in which she used to swim as a child.

Nicky said: "I am delighted to open Abbeycroft's new gym in my hometown of Ipswich. It is really important that people in the town have access to high quality fitness facilities that are affordable. My love of sport and archery came about because I joined a club that my brother belonged to and it was relatively inexpensive to attend. This is exactly what we need in the town to compliment other fitness facilities, to get people looking after their bodies and develop a passion for keeping fit and healthy."

Warren Smyth, Chief Executive of Abbeycroft Leisure, said: "We are so pleased that Nicky was able to open our new affordable gym. She has achieved so much in the last few years and is a real inspiration for people in the town. We will be supporting Nicky in the coming year in her bid to compete in the London 2012 Olympics."