Gym in the Park now open

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 it officially opened on Saturday .

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 outdoor gym will provide a lasting legacy from this year’s RotarySwimarathon.

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.”

Vine Street Surgery GP Dr David Baker, 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.”