LET’S GET PHYSICAL!

More than £50,000 has been spent at Christ College, Brecon, on a state of the art fitness centre - officially opened by former Wales and Lions rugby legend, Gerald Davies.

The new two-storey centre contains a wide range of state of the art fitness equipment, including exercise cycles, treadmills, steppers, rowing machines and resistance machines.

The fitness suite comes at a time when physical activity is high on the public agenda. Health Challenge Wales, launched by the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, in February provided a new and inclusive national focus on everyone’s responsibility for health.

Chris Webber, Head of PE at Christ College said: “Traditional PE activities are being replaced with a session in the gym, which we are finding is very popular. Recent figures suggest more than a million children under 16 in the UK are now classified as obese and health experts blame a couch potato mentality for the growing weight problems, which are leading to an increase in childhood diseases such as asthma and diabetes. If we can encourage and provide our pupils with the facilities to take up exercise at a young age, it will hopefully inspire a generation of healthy children who understand the benefits of keeping fit.”

As well as using the gym as an alternative to traditional PE lessons, students and staff are being encouraged to use the facilities in their spare time, with a personal consultation and fitness plan available to anyone using the facilities.

Headmaster, Phillip Jones, commented: “This recent investment demonstrates the school’s commitment to providing the best facilities to its pupils. It also forms part of wider programme to encourage more young people to take part in sports activities and to use sport to increase pupils’ motivation and achievements. We are thrilled with our new facilities.”

Headmaster Phillip Jones with T G R Davies,
ex-Wales, British Lions and Cardiff