Wednesday 26 June 2013

Labour’s “Fighting Fitter” campaign

Fitness centre discounts for Armed Forces
 
Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon & East Thurrock, Mike Le-Surf, has supported the announcement this week of Labour’s ‘Fighting Fitter’ campaign to provide members of the Armed Forces with discounts at health and leisure facilities. Whether local authority-led or privately-run, fitness facilities play a vital role in our communities keeping people fit. This is essential for members of the Armed Forces who, when away from their base, can often lack the resources to access health and fitness centres.
 Mike Le-Surf is encouraging local authorities and privately run facilities to participate.
 He said: “This is what One Nation Labour is all about and I am delighted to support the initiative. Our troops deserve the best access to these types of facilities and I am delighted it has gained cross party support as well as the support from many businesses.”
 On 23rd April 2013 Labour launched the scheme with Pure Gym and Virgin Active. This week Nuffield Health will offer a 25% membership discount to the Armed Forces and David Lloyd will offer free access to their clubs for Forces and their families over the Armed Forces Day weekend. ‘Fighting Fitter’ is now a national scheme, with discounts in over 450 health and leisure sites across the UK. The campaign has received cross-party backing, with the support of Ming Campbell, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, and James Arbuthnot, Conservative Chair of the Defence Select Committee.
 Natalie Mumford, Director of Fitness and Wellbeing, Nuffield Health, said:
“At Nuffield Health we believe that prevention is better than cure and we strive to improve the health of the UK. We support the campaign to help the Armed Forces stay fit and healthy as we understand the crucial nature of fitness in their working role. Health and fitness is essential for everyone, it helps to build people’s mental and physical strength and lower their risk of illness. However, in situations where your life can depend  on your own ability and resilience, fitness plays an even greater role. We are delighted to offer this 25% membership discount to our service personnel and we look forward to working with the Fighting Fitter campaign .”
 Martin Evans, David Lloyd Leisure's sales director, said:
"This is the first time that David Lloyd Leisure has awarded our corporate benefits to the armed forces, and we are delighted to do so. We are very proud to be able to offer the armed forces who do an incredible job the opportunity to access our unrivalled health, sports and fitness facilities throughout the 91 clubs in the UK and Europe at a discounted rate. Work-life balance is an important element of being able to do a job well and David Lloyd Leisure can play a part in keeping the forces personnel fit and healthy."
 
Notes
 
‘Fighting Fitter’ is now a national scheme, with discounts in over 450 health and leisure sites across the UK (Pure Gym have 80 sites across the country; Virgin Active have 110; David Lloyd have 70 facilities; Nuffield have over 200 facilities across the nation).

Saturday 22 June 2013

Parliamentary Selection

"Delighted and proud to have been selected as Labour's parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock today. It is a constituency I know well and I have already started campaigning on some important issues with local councillors and party members. The Conservative led coalition has badly let down the residents of South Basildon and East Thurrock. I intend being a highly active and visible candidate and will be working in all areas of this great constituency, fighting for a level playing field for all citizens."
 
Pictured above with Baroness Smith of Basildon and Labour Party members