The Rotary Club donate outdoor gym for Wyndham Park

Visitors to Grantham’s Wyndham Park now have a new way to get active thanks to the donation of a £20,000 outdoor gym.

The Rotary Club of Grantham has paid for ten pieces of equipment to be installed in South Kesteven District Council’s award-winning park.

Featuring a range of aerobic, muscle-toning and strength-building activities, the new gym offers something for everyone to try and will be officially opened on Saturday (25 May) at 11am.

It marks the 30th anniversary of the annual RotarySwimarathon which started in Grantham in 1990, and has raised more than £850,000 for local charities and deserving causes in and around Grantham. From a one-day event involving 100 teams, it has grown into a three-day spectacular that attracts more than 270 teams and over 1,600 swimmers.

The Rotary Club president, Mr Ray Klingels, said: “For the past three years we have been putting money aside for this special anniversary and, with the support of SKDC and the Wyndham Park Forum, the plans have come to fruition. “We wanted to provide something that would be available to all the people who have supported us over the years.

The outdoor gym will provide a lasting legacy from this year’s RotarySwimarathon. “We know how well the park is used and the installation of an outdoor gym seemed a logical step with fitness increasingly on everyone’s mind.”

A spokesperson for SKDC said: “Parks are traditionally community hubs offering space for leisure activities. This exercise equipment will encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles by exercising in an open-air environment. It’s fun and, importantly, it’s free.

“We hope to encourage everyone, whether they have exercised before or not, to give it a go. Wyndham Park is a beautiful environment and this added attraction has the benefit of helping people become more active and healthier.

“Outdoor gyms are very popular with people of all ages and abilities. They offer the perfect way to kick-start a more active lifestyle with equipment that is not too challenging but still appeals to those who use the park as part of their regular exercise routines.

“Thanks go to the Rotary Club, Wyndham Park Forum and the SKDC parks team for all their efforts in making this project a reality.”

Dominic Fieldhouse, sports development officer at InvestSK, SKDC’s growth and regeneration company, said: “Increasing physical activity levels across South Kesteven is one of our key objectives in helping to create active communities.

“This fantastic range of new gym equipment will enable people of all ages and abilities to exercise for free while also enjoying the benefits of being in the great outdoors.

The fact it has been installed in one of Grantham’s most beautiful and popular green spaces will only add to its appeal.” Grantham GP Dr Dave Baker, the chairman of NHS South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Grantham and all who have supported its fundraising efforts.

“Exercise can bring a wide range of benefits, not least of which is that it can reduce risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50%, and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. “Exercise can be free, easy to take and has an immediate effect, so I would urge everyone to make use of the outdoor gym equipment.”