To support communities and address heath inequalities, Durham County Council is investing in Move Hubs, power-assisted exercise studios strategically located across the county. Through this innovation Durham is redefining how local authorities can champion health and wellness in their communities.
“The ethos behind the Move Hubs is to create an affordable entry level resource which can be used by anyone, whatever their physical activity levels. The Move Hubs are also social spaces where people make friends and enjoy time together in the café afterwards, helping to improve their mental health,” says Cllr James Rowlandson, Cabinet Member for Resources, Investment and Assets at Durham Council Council.
A county-wide initiative
The Move Hubs are a vital part of the council’s leisure transformation programme, modernising its leisure offerings and supporting health and wellbeing across the population. They also form a key element of the council’s Move initiative, stemming from the successful 2021/22 ‘Move’ behavioural change campaign, launched to combat declining activity levels among key groups identified by Public Health England research after Covid-19. Target audiences included older adults, individuals with disabilities and those with long-term health conditions.
"We developd the 'Move' brand to connect with residents and encourage them to introduce some more movement or increase their mobility." says Cllr Rowlandson. "The programme has been designed to offer a range of leisure activities that suit all ages and fitness levels."
The council collaborated with Alliance Leisure on its transformation programme, working with their marketing agency, TA6, to create and deliver the campaign. The goal was to educate communities on the benefits of active lifestyles, improve mental health, prevent ill-health and promote healthy, sustainable communities.
Among the successes of the campaign were 3,058 funded memberships, with 354 converting to full paid memberships, and an increase of 2,730 leisure centre memberships across the county.
“To sustain the campaign’s success, we rebranded the entire wellbeing offer to Move, incorporating initiatives like Move Walking and Move Classes. Move Hubs were central to inspiring non-traditional exercisers to embrace physical activity in a welcoming, supported environment,” says Cllr Rowlandson.
Safe and sociable exercise options
The Move Hubs are more than gyms. Equipped with specialist power-assisted exercise machines from Innerva, they offer safe, supported and social wellbeing spaces where people can improve their mobility and manage chronic health conditions. Staff work with local GPs, the NHS and charities to encourage client referrals into each Move Hub.
“Customers like to attend at the same time each week and with the same group of people, as many view it as a social event as well as a way to improve their physical fitness,” explains Cllr Rowlandson.
To date, the council has invested £750,000 in three Move Hubs. Access to the Move Hubs are included in the council’s Thrive Move membership, a non-contract option giving members unlimited use of any Move Hub as well as other facilities and programmes at its leisure centres. Membership costs £17 per month (concession) and £26 per month (standard).
A model for public leisure?
The Move Hubs are positioned across the county to address the unique needs of each community. The first hub, at Abbey Leisure Centre, Durham, opened in July 2023 with 12 pieces of Innerva’s power-assisted equipment. Membership reached 300 in the first year, prompting plans to add a MOTOmed bike and extend opening hours to meet high demand. Most users are aged 55+, with 77 per cent aged over 66 and 14 per cent aged over 81. The oldest customer at the Abbey Leisure Centre Move hub is in their 90s.
The second Move Hub opened at the Louisa Centre in Stanley in July 2024, and reached 140 members by October.
“We’re already seeing different types of members at this site - 11 per cent are under 55,” says Cllr Rowlandson.
The third hub, which opened at Teesdale Leisure Centre in Barnard Castle in November, targets a 55+ population with 21 per cent experiencing limited daily activity. The existing gym had a 26 per cent take up among those aged 55+ and the council aims to transition some of these to the new hub, while working with local groups to engage those most in need of increased activity.
“In general, Move Hub users are 55 and over but most customers are aged 66 and above. These are new customers who are unlikely to use a traditional gym,” says Cllr Rowlandson.
Durham County Council is committed to providing sustainable and inclusive health and wellness solutions for its residents. Its pioneering Move Hub model demonstrates how local authorities can tackle health disparities to build healthier and more connected communities.