Southwark free gym and swim at The Castle
Enjoy free gym and swim facilities at the recently revamped Castle Centre as part of a scheme by Southwark Council and Everyone Active.
- 11 Mar 2022
Residents of the Borough can now enjoy a free Southwark gym and swim at the Castle Centre as part of a scheme by Southwark Council and Everyone Active.
The scheme aims to keep local communities fit and healthy by encouraging them to use the Castle Centre’s fitness facilities, for free.
In 2016 The Castle Centre, our local leisure centre and gym on St Gabriel Walk, underwent a £20m redevelopment to bring modern and spacious fitness facilities to the residents of Elephant and Castle.
The Castle (as it is known) now features a large sports hall, state-of-the-art gym, group fitness studios, a 25m, six-lane swimming pool and a small pool for children, as well as an indoor cycling studio, café, luxurious spa, changing facilities and a crèche.
Members can enjoy activities like badminton or netball in the sports hall, join a group fitness class in the dedicated areas or learn to swim in the two pools. The Castle can even host sporty birthday parties for up to 30 three to 15-year-olds, including healthy lunchboxes for the kids.
There is a GP and exercise referral scheme on site, which has dedicated fitness instructors that work with people with long-term health conditions to increase their physical activity levels and improve health.
All Southwark residents are entitled to use the pool and gym facilities for free at certain times during the week as part of a free gym and swim campaign. These times are:
Friday 6am – 10am
Saturday 2pm – 5.30pm
Sunday 2pm – 9.30pm
On top of this, the over-60s can also take part in any Silver Sessions for free, and disabled residents can use the facilities for free, seven days a week.
If you’re a resident of Elephant Park or live anywhere in Southwark and are interested in taking part in Southwark free gym and swim, all you need to do is register and complete an online induction. Once registered, you will need to take proof of identity and Southwark residency with you to collect your Everyone Active membership card. If you’re looking to use the gym as part of your membership, you will need to complete an induction with one of Everyone Active’s trainers.
Those looking to make use of all the great classes on offer at The Castle Centre, alongside access to the pool and gym can sign up for a membership – prices start from £19.99 per month. There’s also a free day pass available to try all the facilities for yourself before you commit to a monthly membership.
The Southwark free gym and swim offer also runs at five other leisure centres within the Borough. These are:
If you’re interested in fitness and wellbeing around the Elephant & Castle area, check out these other stories: