OFFERS and promotions will be introduced to encourage Ceredigion’s residents back to council leisure services as centres reopen following Covid shut down.

Officers from the council’s Porth Cymorth Cynnar sector updated members on its Wellbeing Centres Service at a scrutiny committee this week.

Members of the healthier communities overview and scrutiny committee heard on Tuesday (March 15) that one aspect of the service’s work includes the council’s leisure facilities including leisure centres in Aberaeron, Cardigan, Lampeter and Plascrug as well as Penglais sports hall and Synod Inn artificial turf pitch.

There was now a drive to get people back to the leisure centres following the lifting of covid-19 restrictions and to reassure residents that officers have “put all possible measures in place so that they do feel safe to return.”

Elen James, corporate lead officer for Porth Cymorth Cynnar, added that pre-pandemic there were around 900 people signed up to membership packages, and in 2018/19 the service generated £752,673, with £176,000 from the memberships that provided various levels of access to swimming, fitness suite and exercise classes.

Examples of potential promotions include health and wellbeing events, health campaigns, reduced pricing at quiet times of day, reduced rates for extra children, being a friend for free events, holiday membership packages and referral incentives.

These were supported by the committee who welcomed the move to get more people back into organised activity, for health as well as mental health benefits, as highlighted by Cllr Lyndon Lloyd.

Corporate manager for wellbeing centres Carwyn Young added that the offers were a tool to encourage people to get active “regularly.”

The committee also heard that even while closed there were activities made available by the service with more than 3,000 taking part in over 60s sessions, more than 4,000 went to virtual sessions and wellbeing walks saw more than 2,000 people getting involved.

Councillors approved a proposal to “delegate authority to the corporate director and the corporate lead officer Porth Cymorth Cynnar, in consultation with the portfolio cabinet member to vary the fees and charges for 2022/23 to run short term / time limited promotional offers to incentivise more children, young people, individuals and families to participate in regular physical activity and lead healthier lifestyles.”