Senior citizens leisure pass - Liverpool

Saturday, 18 October 2008

The city council and Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) is introducing a senior citizens leisure pass to all residents over 60, giving them free access to swimming, gym membership, badminton, squash and tennis.

It is part of the drive to improve the health and fitness of the 70,000 senior citizens who reside in the city. The PCT wants all adults to partake of half-an-hour’s physical activity five times a week to help them stay healthy and reduce obesity.

From 1 December the Senior Lifestyles Card will offer the use of all 13 city council Lifestyles Centres for free.

This is a fantastic way to stay healthy and save money at the same time.

Council leader Warren Bradley is delighted with the scheme, saying the council is committed to getting everyone as fit and healthy as possible, and reduce obesity and heart disease. The investment was every penny, he said, adding that it would save the council and the NHS longer term money by cutting care costs and medical bills. Bradley encouraged all Liverpool’s seniors to take up the offer, saying that getting and keeping fit could be fun as well as rewarding.

The £200k per year scheme is jointly funded by Liverpool City Council and Liverpool PCT. It will be reviewed after four months to decide on the long term free use of the city’s leisure facilities.

Liverpool’s new scheme goes much further than a new government scheme to be introduced next April which will encourage councils to offer free swimming for over 60s.

Gideon Ben Tovim, of Liverpool PCT, said the new scheme in the city was a further example of how they were tackling issues such as obesity, alcohol issues, smoking and health inequalities.

The Card will be available to residents aged 60 years or over who reside within the boundaries of Liverpool City Council. Applications for the scheme can begin on 1 November.