FREE Open Week at Trinity Academy Sports Campus
Fancy trying out the newest addition to the biggest club in town?
Come along to our Open Weekend at Trinity from the 20th – 25th February.
Try out the gym, courts and fitness classes, completely FREE!
https://edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/trinity-academy/open-week
Edinburgh Leisure is offering Pickleball Taster sessions at four of its venues next week.
Invented in the USA over 50 years ago by a family who named it after their dog Pickles, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world.
Played on a court very similar to badminton but with a lower net, it is played with a ball and a paddle, and uses racket skills from tennis, squash, badminton and table tennis. The rules and scoring system mean that pickleball is very accessible for the young and not so young, making it a family activity for everyone to enjoy.
Led by Pickleball Scotland ambassadors, the free adult taster sessions will be offered at the following venues. No need to invest in a paddle or balls as the kit will be supplied on the day.
Monday, 30th January – 1pm – 3pm
Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139 London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AD
Wednesday, 1st February – 7 pm – 9 pm
Ainslie Park, 92 Pilton Drive, Edinburgh EH5 2HF
Thursday, 2nd February – 1 pm – 3 pm
Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, 177 Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH14 1BZ
Friday, 3rd February – 1 pm – 3 pm
Drumbrae Leisure Centre, 30 Drumbrae Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 7SF
No need to invest in a paddle or balls as the kit will be supplied on the day.
To book your free space, visit here, select the venue of your choice and choose activity type ‘Social Sport Class’. Or select the Social Sports icon on the Edinburgh Leisure App at your chosen venue.
For more information: shorturl.at/owFPQ
Ageing Well, run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian is seeking new participants to join various city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life.
Available to join are Buddy Swim sessions, a 19-week cycle skills course and a two-week technical skills Nordic Walking course, which is followed by four weeks of walking around Edinburgh.
Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities. All activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.
“The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable. For anyone who has made a promise to themselves, or their family, to improve their fitness in the new year, now is the time to walk the talk and to register their interest in any of our Ageing Well programmes.
“I can guarantee it will be a lot of fun, will improve their wellbeing and fitness, and all our activities are sociable, with plenty of opportunities to make new friends.”
Buddy Swimming is aimed at older adults, who perhaps lack confidence, to get back in the water. Participants are met and greeted by Edinburgh Leisure’s volunteers and ensure they have the support they require in the water, followed by that all-important chat and cup of tea afterwards.
Ageing Well’s Buddy Swimming takes place in three Edinburgh Leisure venues across the city, moving to four, when Warrender Swim Centre, reopens in early 2023.
The 19-week Cycle Skills course will start at the beginning of March 2023 and takes place on a Monday at 10am.
The initial level 1 course, based on Cycling Scotland’s Bikeability material is an 11-week course, which will get participants comfortable again on a bike, developing skills, at a pace that suits them, in a dedicated area at Saughton.
Level 2 lasts 8-weeks and gives participants the opportunity to explore Edinburgh’s extensive cycle path network, from the leisure centres at Ainslie Park and Meggetland.
Suitable for anyone who hasn’t been on a bike for ages or for those that don’t currently own one, Edinburgh Leisure can provide bikes, helmets, and hi-viz vests, but people are welcome to bring their own.
Ageing Well’s six-week Nordic Walking course launched in March 2022 and will start again in Spring 2023, day and date to be decided.
Nordic Walking is for everyone. Its origins are Finnish and it provides a total-body version of fitness walking with specially designed poles, not to be confused with trekking poles. It can be enjoyed at many levels, at low, medium, or high intensity. The poles mean that effort is shared between the upper and lower body, so it feels easier than normal walking, particularly uphill. More than 10 million people globally enjoy this outdoor activity all year round.
Participants will meet at Brighton Park in Portobello and would be expected to attend the first two technical sessions to graduate. Each session will last 1-hour, and poles will be provided, if people do not already have their own.
Once group members have graduated from the 2-week introductory course, they will be eligible to join the Nordic Walking 4-week course, visiting various locations. These walks would take between 1.5 – 2 hours.
The Nordic Walking course complements Ageing Well’s already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week.
Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A contribution of £3 per week for each activity is appreciated. This can be paid in one go or each week. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life.
In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants.
To find out more about any Ageing Well activities, visit:
https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/active-communities/ageing-well
Don’t delay registering your interest in any of the Ageing Well activities: active@edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 458 2260.
Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland, in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, is running a weekly club for older adults to stay active, connected within their local community and build amazing friendships through their common love of sport.
Held on Tuesdays from 10.30am to 12.00 at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, the club runs weekly and is free to attend. No need to book – just turn up.
They are the perfect forum to reminisce about local sporting heroes, share stories about past playing days and show off your knowledge over a quiz or fun game. Everyone is welcome and a cuppa is available too.
Donna Mackey, Partnership Manager, SMFS, “The Royal Commonwealth Pool is a venue at the real heart of Edinburgh’s sporting heritage.
“We believe there are lots of older adults in the area who have a passion for talking about sport and who will benefit from attending a weekly group with like-minded people. The clubs are a great opportunity to build new friendships and become more active by taking part in some of our indoor games.”
Edinburgh Leisure’s Community Development Officer, Active Ageing, Ryan Dignan said: “Edinburgh Leisure’s partnership with Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland makes perfect sense, as does hosting these clubs at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, a building steeped in its own sporting history.
“These clubs support the work we are already doing working with people living with dementia through our Movement for Memories programme and other older adults in our Ageing Well programme, who are keen to keep active and engaged, which we know is particularly beneficial for their well-being.
“Using the rich history and heritage of sport, the Sporting Memories clubs are open to older adults, both men and women, who enjoy reminiscing about their experiences of watching or playing it. We just want anyone, with a love of sport, to come along and refreshments are provided.”
The clubs are run by trained Sporting Memories volunteers who use a wide range of Sporting Memories reminiscence resources developed specifically to help prompt conversation and discussion. There is always great fun and laughter, friendships are forged, and some remarkable sporting stories often emerge.
Sporting Memories has developed an innovative and engaging approach to tackling the challenges of our ageing society. Their work focuses on reducing loneliness and isolation; getting older people physically active; and helping people to live well with dementia and other long term conditions.
For further information, contact Donna Mackey donna@thesmf.co.uk
Soft Play Christmas Parties
Looking for something different for your child this Christmas?
Bring them along to our Soft Play Parties for some festive fun with a disco, party games and more!
Spaces can be booked by visiting the venue of your choice:
After a five-year hiatus, Edinburgh Leisure will once again be holding their annual gymnastics display at the new £47m state-of-the-art Meadowbank Sports Centre, which reopened in July 2022 after a major refurbishment.
Now in its 16th year, over 300 gymnasts, and cheerleaders from six Edinburgh Leisure venues, will be coming together to delight audiences with their annual display at the sports venue on Sunday, 11 December 2022.
Gymnastics Development Officer Dorothy McQueen said: “Gymnastics is a great way to provide a healthy and active lifestyle. They have many benefits and help children to gain strength, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility as well as self-confidence.
“This non-competitive gymnastics’ event gives the children with Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme the opportunity to showcase what they have been working so hard on throughout the year. In addition, it allows them to see performances of all levels and inspires them to reach for the stars, or maybe even that gold, silver or bronze medal in the future.”
As well as featuring over 23 performances from Edinburgh Leisure gymnastics, there will also be special guest appearances from clubs across the region, including City of Edinburgh, Ibex and Cheer Evolution.
Tickets cost £5 each and all spectators, 5 years and over, require a ticket for entry. Participating gymnasts do not require a ticket.
Under 5s tickets are free but they will not be allocated a seat.
Tickets are available for either the morning or afternoon session and can be bought from Ticket Source – https://bit.ly/3V5KEdS
Gymnastics coaching teaches the basics of floor, vault, beam, and bar skills from Primary 1 upwards before progressing to a higher class.
It is just one of the 12 sports coached across 17 venues in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme helps children to develop new skills, improve their agility and grow confidence. And for pre-schoolers, Edinburgh Leisure offers Gym Nippers, from those toddlers who are walking.
For more information on gymnastics’ classes and other coaching opportunities at Edinburgh Leisure, get inspired by visiting:
The cost-of-living crisis might be taking its toll on your mental and physical health but never has it being more important to look after your wellbeing.
Edinburgh Leisure, a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives has launched its seasonal promotion, 12 Days of Fitness, with the aim of encouraging people to stay active in December.
Available to buy online or in venue, the 12 Days of Fitness promotion, which is also available on climbing too, offers 12 consecutive days of membership for only £12 any time in December.
As the promotion includes unlimited access to all Edinburgh Leisure’s gyms, swimming pools (excluding the Turkish Baths at Portobello Swim Centre), over 750+ fitness classes per week, and climbing, this represents excellent value for money. And new this year, members will receive a free pass to gift to a friend or family – it’s the promotion that just keeps giving.
The pass isn’t restricted to one pass per person either – if you wish to buy a second pass after your first pass expires, it’ll mean you’re doubly on the way to reaching those fitness goals ahead of New Year. And the promotion is timely as experts continually agree that maintaining some level of physical activity during December is important to boost immunity, manage stress and mental health.
Edinburgh Leisure’s facilities are second to none and offer choice and great value, across various city locations. Their gyms feature some of the latest fitness equipment and you will be assured a warm welcome, with helpful staff ready to help you reach your fitness goals. They also have numerous swimming pools across the city, from historic baths to the famous Olympic-sized Royal Commonwealth Pool and Europe’s largest climbing arena at Ratho.
So, gift yourself a wellness present and get one step ahead of those New Year fitness plans – that first trip back to the gym in January will be far easier.
For further information about Edinburgh Leisure venues and services and the 12 Days of Fitness Promotion visit:
For the first time ever, Edinburgh Leisure, the charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives, is running a members’ only event from Black Friday (25th November) to Cyber Monday (28th November), rewarding their direct debit customers.
The Black Friday members-only event will offer 5 activities for £5 each, allowing direct debit customers to book any of the following:
The offer is not available to non-members, although customers can join to take advantage of the offer. The offer is only available to buy online (with the exclusion of soft play at Scrambles, which needs to be paid in venue and is only available in-venue during the Black Friday event).
Edinburgh Leisure customers who pay their membership by direct debit will be able to log into their accounts during the offer dates and book the activities for £5 each. Customers will book as normal and will have 8-days to use the activity following payment. Customers will be able to book multiple activities, multiple times.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives. They do that by running over 30 sports and leisure facilities across the city and deliver their Active Communities programme, which helps improve the lives of people affected by health conditions, poverty, inequalities, and disabilities.
A Ukrainian teenage refugee, Arsenii Opryshko, is showing his prowess on the tennis courts with support from Edinburgh Leisure.
Every day, all over the world, people leave their own countries in search of a better life. While some choose to leave for work, study or play, others feel that the threat of persecution or conflict means they have no choice but to leave.
We watched in horror earlier this year as families just like our own were forced to flee warn-torn Ukraine with nothing but a suitcase in tow. Since then, more than 9,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Scotland.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity committed to creating opportunities for people in Edinburgh to keep active and well.
Each year our Active Communities programme uses the power of physical activity and sport to support around 10,000 people affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty to improve their health and wellbeing.
A combination of our Active Communities programme, city-wide venues and dedicated staff mean that we are uniquely placed to make relocated people feel welcome in our capital city.
While physical activity is by no means a magic wand that will make their problems disappear, Edinburgh Leisure believes that getting active can have a hugely positive impact on their lives.
Improving health and mental wellbeing, incorporating some routine into their week in a period of instability, boosting confidence and self-esteem, reducing loneliness and isolation, and helping them to integrate into their new communities are just some of the benefits that being active can bring them.
Since 2016 Edinburgh Leisure has delivered our Relocated People Access programme in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council’s Migration and Refugee Team.
Through the project, we give relocated people access cards, which allows them free use of our facilities for six months while they are settling into their new city. We are now supporting around 2,000 people from countries around the world including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria.
More recently we have also started providing children who are new to the city with free use of our facilities, places on our children’s sports coaching programmes and places on our holiday sports camps over the summer to help them enjoy the active childhood they deserve.
One such child who is benefitting from support, is a young teenage Ukrainian refugee, Arsenii Opryshko, who only arrived in Edinburgh in July 2022, but is already being recognised for his tennis skills.
Recently he has beaten other talented junior tennis players by winning the LTA Scotland Tour, Grade 5, Boys U16 event – coming first, which took place in Broughty Ferry and also came second in a similar event at Dalgety Bay on 14 October and more recently won the U16 boys event at Kelso (6 November 2022).
Arsenii Opryshko, 13 years, a displaced refugee from Kharkiv, an eastern region of Ukraine, a region that borders Russia, arrived in Scotland under the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor scheme, along with his parents, Vadym and Olga. They are being hosted by a retired police sergeant, Mark McCool and his husband in Broomhouse, Edinburgh.
Arsenii was a pupil at Gymnasium Number 13, a secondary school in Kharkiv. He holds a national ranking in his chosen sport of tennis and as a talented tennis player undertook three hours of tennis coaching per day.
Realising his tennis talent, Mark McCool, along with the support of Mandy Fairnie, Operations Manager at Edinburgh Leisure’s Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, has managed to secure coaching from various sources, including coaches at the Edinburgh flagship tennis centre, and East of Scotland tennis clubs and through Tennis Scotland.
Arsenii is currently a member at Hatton Sports Club, which has tennis, padel tennis, squash and racketball facilities and is situated on the A71 near Kirknewton.
Caroline Newton, one of the committee members at Hatton, and a fellow Ukrainian host, secured free membership of the club, with the cooperation of her fellow committee members.
Mark McCool, host to the family said: “There’s no doubting the tennis talent of this young lad, especially in taking the overall trophy for the Under 16 Boys Singles competition, when he is only 13 years. Yet it shouldn’t be underestimated the hoops this family have had to through just to get to this stage.
“Like many of their fellow countrymen, none of them have chosen the journey they have all been on, but they are making the best of a bad situation. I’m so grateful to everyone that has supported the family so far to help progress their son’s talent.
“But then again, participating in tennis doesn’t come cheaply. And while everyone has given of their time freely until now, there are always the hidden costs associated at competing at such a level, including rackets, balls, shoes, entry costs etc.”
The family had left Ukraine to go on their first family holiday in three years to Egypt, a country they had been longing to visit for 10 years. It was a holiday that would combine rest and relaxation with a business opportunity that Vadym was developing and a business meeting with a new partner – not knowing that this would be the same week that Russia would invade Ukraine.
After the skies around their country were closed to all air traffic, the family were stranded in an Egyptian hotel with three suitcases full of summer clothes, sandals, and flip flops.
The family’s circumstance was very quickly recognised by other guests in the hotel and those guests, all of whom were on holiday, clubbed together and funded one of the German families to take Vadym, Olga and Arsenii home with them to southern Germany.
Before long Vadym, Olga and Arsenii found themselves surrounded by many Ukrainian refugee families who had themselves fled the regions worst hit by the Russian invasion.
In Germany, Vadym and Olga’s personal and professional experience was quickly recognised by the German authorities and Vadym, a fluent English speaker was recruited into a refugee support position by the Mayor’s office in the German village of Bad Schonborn, 80km from the city of Stuttgart.
Olga meanwhile found herself working in, and ultimately running, an already established kitchen that was now feeding a wave of refugees, over and above their normal duties in providing for the existing community.
As Mark McCool explained: “Despite the magnitude of the developing situation, Vadym and Olga’s main desire was to provide as normal a life as possible for their teenage son, which was made possible by the German community who quickly offered Arsenii a place in a school and who they also enrolled in a local tennis programme.”
Unfortunately for the family though, their time in Germany was short-lived.
As Vadym’s family had come to Germany from Egypt, a country seen by the German Government as a safe country, they refused to identify Vadym’s family as a refugee family. The German Government assessed Vadym’s family position as that of a non-EU family entering their country as tourists on a tourist visa which only gave the family a limited period of stay.
Their visa application was therefore rejected, and the family were given until 31st May 2022 to leave Germany, although an extension was granted until November, as they had not secured anywhere to go by the initial date. During this time Vadym discovered the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor scheme and arrived in Scotland on 15th July after Mark McCool and his partner agreed to sponsor the family’s application to come to Edinburgh.
Vadym Opryshko, father to Arsenii said: “As a family, we couldn’t have asked for a more supportive welcome from so many different people in Edinburgh.
“Like any parents, we just want the best for our child and for Arsenii, it’s to continue developing his natural tennis ability, despite the challenges we have experienced since leaving our homeland.”
Concluding, Mark McCool said: “My partner and I, along with so many other members of the local and tennis community have welcomed this displaced family into our hearts.
“Arsenii is one talented individual when it comes to playing tennis, and we couldn’t be prouder of his achievements over the weekend.
“We just hope we can continue to find support to nurture his talent while he is a guest in Scotland.”
The new Meadowbank Sports Centre was officially opened at a special ceremony yesterday (Friday 4 November).
The new £47m centre is a state-of-the-art community sports facility built on the site of the original Meadowbank, which closed in December 2017.
The new Meadowbank opened its doors to the public in July this year and features a wide range of enhanced facilities and will support physical activity, sport, health and well-being in Edinburgh for generations to come.
The new venue supports accessible participation and has improved indoor facilities with two multi-sport halls with seating, a gym and three large fitness studios.
In recognising the legacy and heritage of the old Meadowbank and its 50+ years of sporting history a Wall of Honour has been unveiled in the atrium featuring over 45 names.
The wall honours people who have made significant contributions to Meadowbank’s past and its legacy as a sport and community venue. The honourees have been nominated by the public in four categories: Competitive Achievements, Community Service, Professional Service and Special Contribution.
Inductees include sport heroes Chris Hoy, Lynsey Sharp, Allan Wells and Jake Wightman and sport coaches such as gymnastic coach Maggie Bissett and athletics coach Bill Walker.
Cllr Day was joined by Scott Haldane from Edinburgh Leisure and Mel Young from sportscotland to welcome partners, elected members and representatives from sport governing bodies and sports clubs and Wall of Honour inductees.
To coincide with the official opening, Edinburgh Leisure will be celebrating with an open weekend at the centre with free activities available from Friday 4 until Sunday 6 November 2022.
Over the weekend, there will be children’s coaching, gym, fitness classes, racquet sports, and the running track and athletics area will be available for everyone to come and try for free.
Council Leader, Cammy Day, said: I’m delighted that with our partners we have been able to provide this fantastic facility which will offer year-round opportunities for both adults and young people to take part in sport.
“We are committed to encouraging and enabling everyone to become more physically active and enjoy the associated benefits. It’s important for sport to be as accessible as possible for our residents and our investment in fit-for-purpose sports facilities is helping to ensure that as many people as possible can get involved in sport throughout the year.
“The Wall of Honour has been a great way for our citizens to pay a lasting tribute to the Meadowbank legacy and to some outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on sport in the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh.
“More names will be added to the wall in the future as we continue to honour those who inspire and deserve to be recognised and celebrated for years to come.”
June Peebles, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure said: “The team at Meadowbank has enjoyed welcoming customers, old and new to this amazing new facility since we opened our doors on 19 July and the reaction from customers has been very positive.
“The centre has a large variety of activities on offer, and we have been developing the activity programme in response to demand and customer feedback, ensuring the new Meadowbank Sports Centre establishes itself with a new generation.
“And to coincide with the City of Edinburgh Council’s official opening on 4 November, we are celebrating the occasion by opening the whole venue for free from Friday, 4 to Sunday, 6 November.
“There will be children’s coaching (football and multi-activity), gym, fitness glasses, racquet sports and the running track and athletics area will be available for everyone to come and find out first hand for themselves what all the fuss is about.
“I would encourage everyone to pay us a visit and join in the fun!”
Mel Young, Chair of sportscotland, said: “Meadowbank has long been at the heart of sport and physical activity in the City of Edinburgh and it’s fantastic to see that tradition continuing with the opening of this magnificent new centre.
“At sportscotland we work closely with partners like City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Leisure to ensure that the facilities that we invest in are in the right place and will really meet the long term needs of the community, whether that’s an introduction to sport and physical activity, or supporting the aspirations of some of Scotland’s best athletes.
“This new, inclusive Meadowbank Sports Centre really delivers on that ambition which is why we were delighted to invest £5million of National Lottery funding through our Sports Facilities Fund to support this important project.”
