Closures of leisure centres has continued to sweep across the nation, affecting all communities, however, this is especially detrimental for those in deprived areas. Last Friday was a day of loss for Gateshead. On the very last day of the school year, right at the beginning of the long summer holidays and therefore at the very moment it is most needed by low-income families, the local leisure centre was closed, like many other centres around the country.

The closure of these spaces, especially during the summer holidays has left many with limited activities for their children to engage with. This increases the challenge to get children more active which is crucial for healthy development, and also limits their opportunities to socialise with others in their community.

To read about the impact that this has had within the Gateshead community and what it means for other towns across the country follow the link below:

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/30/the-boarded-up-windows-of-vital-leisure-centres-reveal-the-consequences-of-austerity-gateshead