CIMSPA statement on group exercise in England
Following the welcome news that gyms, indoor leisure facilities and outdoor sport in England will be allowed to reopen from 2 December, CIMSPA has been working through the details published by the Government.
We are very concerned that the restrictions on group exercise are set to be more severe than they were prior to the current lockdown, when indoor classes were allowed at all tiers subject to Covid-secure guidance.
We are working closely with Sport England, ukactive and EMD (UK) to clarify the situation with DCMS and are pushing hard to make the case for allowing indoor group exercise to take place at all tiers.
Tara Dillon, CIMSPA CEO, commented:
“Group exercise is a major part of our sector, employing many thousands of qualified professionals, many of them self-employed or freelance workers. It is also an extremely popular form of exercise for millions of people, especially amongst women and older age groups. While we obviously accept the need to minimise social interactions, we believe the guidance already issued by CIMSPA and EMD allows group exercise to take place safely. At this time of year, exercising outdoors simply isn’t appropriate or possible for everyone, so we are urging the Government to clarify the rules and allow indoor group exercise to continue nationwide from December 2nd.”
CIMSPA is also working to clarify a number of other questions on the new guidance, including the ability for personal trainers and instructors to use home gyms and fitness studios, and to work with clients within private homes and gardens.
CIMSPA has several digital resources available to support the sector during the coronavirus crisis, including:
- ReTrain - a £1.5m training initiative designed to retool the sport and physical activity workforce, funded by The National Lottery through Sport England.
- ReActive - Refresh your Covid training and return to sport and physical activity with confidence.
- ReOpen - an online hub offering guidance and resources to support the sector in reopening facilities, when permitted.
- Stronger Together Hub - a range of resources and advice to support businesses and individuals.
- Stronger Together Facebook Group - an open community for all those working in the sector.
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity
CIMSPA’s work enhances the career opportunities and professional development of the workforce operating in sport, fitness, exercise, leisure, gyms, coaching, outdoor exercise, health and wellbeing. We achieve this through sector-wide engagement, membership, networking, events, directories and professional standards.