Children and young people across Harrogate district urged to get active – with free classes during May

Statistics from Sport England at the end of 2023 showed that 3.5 million - 47 per cent - of children and young people are taking part in sport and physical activity for at least one hour each day, but there are 2.2 million youngsters that do fewer than 30 minutes.

To help boost those figures locally, staff at facilities in Harrogate and Knaresborough are offering new classes for six to 16-year-olds – and they are free throughout May.

North Yorkshire Council’s Corporate Director for Community Cevelopment, Nic Harne, said: “We have a wide range of programmes and activities for children in all our leisure centres as we foster increased participation which is not only good for their health and wellbeing but encourages social activities too.

“Those classes range from our learn to swim programmes and junior gym sessions to our new music classes in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

“We also have a range of local sports clubs that deliver variety of sports and fun sessions in our swimming pools and sports halls.”

The new ‘Born to Move’ classes are designed to nurture a life-long love of physical activity and help children experience the joy and vitality of moving to music.

Each session feeds young people’s natural appetite for action, movement and play and lets them enjoy the energy, confidence, good health and increased ability that goes with it.

Course teacher, Zoe Murray, whose daughter seven-year-old, Tiana, attends said: “These are really great classes for getting young people into group exercise environment and feeling really comfortable with it at a young age.

"All the kids have a great time.”

There are classes for six to seven-year-olds and eight to 12-year-olds in Harrogate on Fridays from 5pm.

There are also classes in Knaresborough on Saturdays from 10.30am.

For more information, visit https://www.brimhamsactive.co.uk/