READING is performing well above the national average for the amount of physical activity carried out every week, the latest figures from Sport England have shown.
Sport England’s latest Active Lives Adult Survey shows that 70.9% of adults in Reading are achieving the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.
This is well above the national average of 63.7%, and marks a 2.9% increase from the previous year.
Reading Borough Council explains that it highlights the town’s continued commitment to promoting health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity.
The annual Active Lives report provide vital insights into physical activity levels across England by classifying individuals into three categories: active, partaking in 150+ minutes a week; fairly active, 30–149 minutes per week; and inactive, less than 30 minutes per week.
It comes amid a continued program of investment in public leisure facilities, including the new Rivermead Leisure Centre which opened last year, upgrades and repairs, and upgrades to Palmer Park Leisure Centre.
Meadway Sports Centre also received a £29,000 capital grant from the government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund to improve energy efficiency while the artificial turf pitch at Rivermead also saw refurbishment in August last year.
Reading Borough Council says that quality assurance remains ‘a priority’, with Quest audits rating Palmer Park as “Excellent” and Rivermead as “Very Good”—a distinction achieved by only 22% of centres nationwide.
Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), the council’s leisure partner, continues to expand services, including the Healthwise Programme targeting underrepresented groups and those with specific health conditions.
GLL is also enhancing partnerships with schools and community organisations to broaden participation beyond leisure centre boundaries.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture said “Reading’s outstanding performance in the latest Active Lives report is a testament to our long-term investment in leisure infrastructure and inclusive programming.
“We’re proud to see our residents embracing healthier lifestyles and making full use of the fantastic facilities available. These results show that when we invest in our communities, we empower them to thrive.”
