WiganLeisureandCultureTrustAnnualReviewandReport2008/ 099 ActiveLife GettingWiganActive- Sportsandleisurecentresattracted1,676,64visitsin2008/ 09. Thousandsofpeoplecontinuedtoenjoyfreeswimming. Morethan2,700seniorswimmers enjoyedthefreeactivityalongwith15,068under16s. Inspring2009Wiganbecameoneofthefirstauthoritiesinthecountrytointroducefree swimmingforallwith60,000peopleexpectedtoswimforfreeoverthenexttwoyears. SplashingOut- A£ 600,000redevelopmentoftheswimmingpoolatAshtonLeisureCentre wasannouncedinJanuary2009. Morethan£ 80mworthofbidswerereceivednationallybySportEngland. Improvementsatthecentrewillincludefullrefurbishmentoftheentrancearea, modernisationofthechangingrooms, fullrefurbishmentofthesmallandlargepool includingceiling, lighting, decoration, walltilingandfloortiling. GoingForGold- LeightrampolinistDannyGreavesofficiallylaunchedWiganandLeigh's 2012dreaminAugust. Morethan1,000peoplealsoenjoyedleisureactivitiesatActiveLife centresacrosstheboroughasWiganLeisureandCultureTrustopeneditsdoorsforfreein honouroftheoccasion. YoungstersfromacrossWiganandLeighalsotookpartinaseries ofmini- OlympicgamestomarkthehandoverfromBeijingtoLondon. Overthenextfour yearsWLCTwillbeholdingahostofeventsaroundsportandcultureintherunuptothe games( seepictureopposite). ActiveLiving LoseWeightFeelGreat- InJanuary2009wejoinedforceswithNHSAshton, Leighand WiganandSlimmingWorldtohelptackleobesityratesamongstadultsintheborough. With60% ofresidentsoverweightthisisakeyinitiativeinourvisionof" GettingWiganActive". Theserviceoffershealthyeatingadviceandphysicalactivitywithon- goingsupportto encourageresidentsoftheboroughtoloseweightandkeepitoff. BetweenJanuary2009 andMarch20091,158peopleaccessedthescheme- 48% completedthe12weekcourse with37% losingmorethan5% oftheirinitialbodyweight. AHealthierLife- FromyoungtooldourActiveLivingTeamhasanactivitytosuiteveryone. Theteamattractedmorethan4,700newparticipantstoits10physicalactivityprogrammes during2008/ 9whiletherewere17,900visitstoourcommunityactivitysessions. Our" ActivityReferral" programmecontinuedtogofromstrength- to- strength. Workingwiththe Ashton, LeighandWiganNHS2008/ 09saw2,249GPreferralstotheschemethatseestailor madefitnessprogrammesforpeoplereturningtoexerciseafterillness. Ourhealthwalks onceagainprovedtobeextremelypopularwith450newpeopleaccessingthewalks. While ournewLet'sGetActiveprogramme, deliveredforpeoplewithlearningdisabilities, was enjoyedby233people. PedalPower- Wealsointroducedanothernewhealthintiativein2008called" OnYerBike", providingregularorganisedguidedridesacrosstheboroughontraffic- freepaths.' OnYer Bike'isapartnershipwithCycleProjects( Manchesterbasedcyclepromotions/ projects charity) andNHSAshtonLeighandWigan. SportsDevelopment SupportingSchools- OurSportsDevelopmentUnitaresupportingschoolshelpingget childrenactiveanddevelopingtheirknowledgeandunderstandingoffitnessandhealth. Morethan10,203youngstersbenefitedfromcurriculumcoachingin2008/ 09andafurther 2,434receivedextracurriculumcoaching. Atotalof1,577participantswentontobeinvolvedincompetitionswithinandrepresenting theborough. FANtastic- AthletesinWiganandLeighaimingforthe2012Olympicsweregivenanextra incentivetogoforgold. Leisurefacilitiesforpersonaltraininganddevelopmentweremadefreeofchargefor sportsmenandwomenaimingtocompeteatthehighestlevel. Wigan'sown800mstarJennyMeadowslaunchedtheF. A. N. Sscheme- FreeAccessfor NationalSportspeople- inNovember2008, allowingtheborough'seliteathletesaccessto swimmingpools, ProfilesSuitesandrunningtracksatWiganLeisureandCultureTrustsites. BestQuest- OurSportsDevelopmentUnitwereridingthe" Quest" ofawavebackin September2008. The30strongteamwereofficiallyrecognisedas" excellent" afterbeing assessedbytheUK'sSportandLeisureindustry'squalitystandardaward- Quest. OnlythreeteamshaveeverbeenawardedanexcellentgradingfollowingtheirfirstQuest assessment. Whiletheirtopscoreof87percentmakesthemthebestintheNorthWestforafirsttime assessmentandsecondintheUK. YourChoice It'sYourChoice- WiganrugbyleaguelegendMartinOffiahbecametheofficial ambassadorforourexcitingnewfitnessinitiative" YourChoice" inDecember. YourChoice deliversarangeofprogrammesatworkplaces, collegesandcommunityvenuesattimes moresuitabletoa21stCenturylifestyle. WorkingwithNHSAshton, LeighandWigan, thethreeyearinitiativeoffersarangeof activitiesincludingsport, danceandfitnessdeliveredbytheTrust'sActiveLiving, Sports DevelopmentandArtsteams. Participantscanalsoaccessafreeandconfidentialone- to-onesessiontodiscusstheirhealthgoalsandhelpthemgetmotivated. SportandHealthyLiving