Award for disabled-friendly gym (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Award for disabled-friendly gym

1:00pm Wednesday 12th December 2012 in Local By Adam Richards

A BASINGSTOKE gym has been praised for making it easier for disabled people to keep fit.

The Basingstoke Aquadrome, at the leisure park, in Churchill Way, has been awarded an Inclusive Fitness Mark (IFI) after being assessed by the English Federation of Disability Sport.

It is one of only two centres in the borough to have the mark – The Hurst Leisure Centre, in Baughurst, is also IFI-accredited.

The IFI Mark scheme examines staff training, fitness equipment and accessibility, and determines if they are sufficient to enable disabled people to be physically active.

The improvements were put in place by senior fitness instructor Lloyd Staszkiewicz. He and his team organised disability equality training for staff, as well as installing IFI-accredited treadmills, an upper body weight multi-station and a portable hearing loop.

The team also ensured that there was plenty of manoeuvring space between the gym equipment, and good access from reception.

Other facilities at the Aqua-drome include a ramped entrance into the water lagoon, and hydraulic hoists for wheelchair users to access the swimming pool.

Councillor Elaine Still, Basing-stoke and Deane Borough Council Cabinet member for communities, sport and culture, congratulated the staff.

She said: “We are committed to improving access to sporting facilities for disabled people and participation in the borough.

“This is a tremendous achievement and I would like to congratulate everyone who has been involved.”