‘I joined Worsley Leisure Centre on 22nd September 2003.  I still have my original membership agreement with the City of Salford Leisure Services. When I joined the gym, I was 13st 10lbs and very unhealthy.  Exercise works for me as a way to control my weight and also helps with mental health issues.  I’d be lost without you.

Obviously I have seen many changes at the centres since then as the gym then was a fairly small room, I think where the staff office is now.

During refurbishments I have used other centres, this being one of the advantages of an SCL membership. I do hope that SCL and I have another 20 years together’.

‘When I saw that it was SCL’s 20th anniversary coming up, it prompted me to check the date when I signed my agreement and to my surprise, I have been a member of SCL since 11th October 2003!

Throughout my time with SCL, I can honestly say that my journey has been a positive one. Whilst I do enjoy going to the gym, my passion is the classes which I find motivate and challenge me. I also find the social interaction very beneficial.

I joined the gym because I wanted to improve my body fitness. I have also come to understand that attending classes and the gym has improved my mental wellbeing. This was really evident during the pandemic, when gyms were forced to closed and I missed the benefits this facility provided to me.

I have always attended Eccles Leisure Centre where I have found the staff friendly and engaging. The Yoga Fit and Pilates instructors are conscious of attendees’ abilities and are always encouraging.

More recently, following my husband’s health issues I currently attend his CAN Move sessions at Eccles Leisure Centre. This is to provide support and encouragement to my husband in order to maintain his overall health and wellbeing.

As I turn 70 this year, I hope that SCL continues to form a big part of my life’.

Steve and his wife Jackie have been members of Salford Community Leisure since it was formed 20 years ago. Steve, 75, and Jackie, 71, both use Broughton Leisure Centre and Salford Sports Village on a regular basis.

‘My wife and I swim at Broughton every Monday & Friday doing approximately 60 lengths when time allows. Jackie also goes to the classes at Salford Village Centre every Tuesday & Wednesday and I go to their gym for 2.5 hours every Wednesday.

I would especially like to mention two of the staff at Salford Sports Village, Siobhan and Carla who are so friendly and welcoming and always have a lovely smile when we arrive, they always say hello, asking how we are and this is much appreciated.

Being part of Salford Leisure Centre has enabled us, even at our age, to keep fit and mobile. We wish Salford Community Leisure all the success and we congratulate you on your anniversary and hope to be using the centres for many years to come.’

‘I’ve been a SCL member, since before SCL was formed. I went to school at Broughton from 1985 & remember the bar area & Thai boxing as a child.

I started using Swinton & Pendlebury Leisure Centre from around 1996, when there was a ‘passport scheme’, free entrance for every X amount of stamps.

I remember the gym moving at least 3 times (from the area that is now vending machines) to the studio area & finally its current location.

The inception of group classes…unfortunately I developed stage 4 cancer in 2019 & had a small amount of time away due to treatment.

My long-term rehabilitation is in part through SCL’s group classes, with the likes of Danielle Kelly & David Parkin’.

Beatrice has just turned 96 and is SCL’s oldest member. Apart from being met with a nasty fall, she is fighting fit. Beatrice attends 2-3 classes per week; she still drives to the site on each visit and is a real lady about the town. We asked Beatrice what she enjoys most about the leisure centres and the changes she’s seen over the years –

‘I enjoy the diversity of my membership, being able to use a variety of centres and classes. The social side of the leisure centres is very important to me and the comradery between the staff and customers.

The leisure centre staff have changed over the years, but everyone remains very friendly and welcoming. The facilities have changed for the better, the studio is great and the fitness suite has machines which are suitable for users of all ages and abilities. I particularly enjoy the ‘Easy Does It’ classes in the pool.

Beatrice had this to say about our team at Swinton & Pendlebury Leisure Centre – ‘I find the team members quite special, their customer knowledge and the way they greet the members means you always feel very welcome, the more mature team members are wonderful role models for the younger team members’.

I’m sure you’ll agree what an amazing lady Beatrice is, who is very well thought of by all the staff and customers at Swinton and over at Worsley.

I’m the Learning Resource Centre Manager at St Patrick’s RC High School. Our school benefits from being a SCL member because we subscribe to the wonderful Schools’ Library Service (SLS).

A school library is the at the heart of a school, and thanks to the extensive range of resources available for us to borrow from SLS, we are able to respond rapidly to school needs, whether that’s additional books to support a homework topic, sets of stories to enthuse struggling readers, or the latest fiction to satisfy our keenest book lovers.

Led by Emily Stock, the SLS staff are, without exception, friendly, welcoming and enthusiastic. They seem always willing to help, and can offer advice and guidance when needed.

As a school, we have participated in the Salford Children’s Book Award since its inception. It has given hundreds of our pupils the opportunity to celebrate reading for pleasure, and to have their opinions heard; the award ceremony is a highlight of the school year.