Be Well members reach record levels on back of major investment

Be Well members reach record levels on back of major investment

The gym at Howe Bridge Leisure Centre

Leisure centre memberships in Wigan Borough have reached never-before-seen heights as residents become more active.

A strong summer of sign-ups has seen the council-run Be Well brand surpass 20,000 members for the first time ever - suggesting local people are increasingly conscious of the importance of moving more.

Memberships are up by just shy of 2,000 this year alone and have close to doubled since the council’s decision to bring leisure services back in-house in 2021.

Total visitor numbers across Be Well’s seven sites also continue to rise, putting them on course to top the 1.73million visits that were made by residents from April 2025 to March 2026.

The impressive figures come on the back of major council investment in the borough’s leisure facilities, with recent refurbs bringing brand-new, state-of-the-art fitness equipment at all locations.

Councillor Chris Ready, Wigan Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, believes a combination of cutting-edge facilities, an inclusive community, and an emphasis on holistic wellbeing over body image has been the secret to Be Well’s success.

Cllr Ready said: “Our Be Well leisure centres are much more than gyms and swimming pools. They’re places where local people - whatever their age or ability - can come together to connect, be more active and improve their health and wellbeing.

“There are lots of people who find the gym intimidating, and many people are turned off by the obsession with body image and fads. And that’s the brilliant thing about Be Well; it’s for ordinary people who just want to move more, enjoy themselves or work towards becoming the best version of themselves.

“That’s not so say those who are really invested in their fitness won’t find everything they need for peak performance. We’ve recently invested £2.7m in upgrading all our facilities so that they’re the best around, with the very latest fitness equipment from Technogym - including AI-powered Checkup body scanners that measure body fat, bone mass and all sorts of other metrics to help you set personal goals and track your progress.

“But what makes us stand above the rest is our welcoming community and the amazing support of our instructors who get to know our members and are always there to offer advice and support. They really are a fabulous team.

“So, it comes as no surprise that more and more people are joining our movement and discovering what Be Well has to offer - whether it’s our outstanding modern gyms, our top-class pools, our wide range of group classes, or our social sports sessions like pickleball, badminton and walking football where the emphasis is firmly on fun.

“That’s not to mention all the free walking, cycling and parks activities we deliver out in our communities.

“Be Well really is growing all the time and we’re really proud with how far we’ve come.”

Hindley Leisure Centre is the latest Be Well facility to benefit from a refresh, following upgrades to leisure centres at Ashton, Howe Bridge, Leigh, Robin Park, Standish and Wigan.

And while that investment has already paid dividends with increased memberships, the true benefit is likely to be felt long-term.

Cllr Ready added: “I think our residents are becoming increasingly more aware of the importance of being active and the positive impact it can have for our physical and mental health.

“We have many members who are recovering from health setbacks or managing long-term conditions, but for many people it’s more about laying the foundations for a healthy, active life, or maintaining strength and mobility as they age.

“Having more of our residents being more physically active can only be good news for the health of our communities, and when it comes to reducing some of the pressure on the NHS and other local services.

“And through our Be Well For Less scheme, which offers discounts for residents and families on lower incomes, we’re making our facilities more accessible through the cost-of-living crisis and working to tackle some of the health inequalities that exist in our communities.

“Improving our leisure facilities really is an investment in people, and passing 20,000 memberships is just a further validation of our decision to bring local leisure services back under council control.

“The progress made over the past five years has been outstanding and we’re determined that Be Well will keep going from strength to strength!”

To celebrate the recent improvements at Hindley, new members can currently get two months half price on a Be Well Fitness membership (excluding Be Well Fitness Flex) when they join using code BEWELLAUTUMN.

Membership includes unlimited gym access, swimming, group exercise and social sports sessions across all seven leisure centres, as well as sauna and steam rooms, a free personal trainer taster session, and a free personalised programme with ongoing support from expert instructors.

Visit the Be Well website to find out more about Be Well Fitness memberships (external link).