Get Active

Getting the nation active is one of the toughest challenges facing Sport England. Sometimes it’s a case of not knowing where to go. So, in the quest to encourage people to get active and support people who want to get fit, Sport England has created Active Places – the most comprehensive online database of sport and fitness facilities ever produced in this country.  

What information is listed?

This easy-to-use website can be accessed at www.activeplaces.com. It currently lists some 77,000 facilities, including around 55,500 outdoor and 21,500 indoor places to play sport, get fit and have fun. Comprehensive information on many sports, based at some 51,000 sites around the country, is already included with more to be added during 2006.

The site includes local authority leisure facilities as well as commercial and club sites. Access to the facilities falls into three basic categories:

• Pay and play – where members of the public can simply turn up and pay a fee to use the facility.
• Registered membership – where people need to pay a fee to use the facility (i.e. gym membership)
• Sports club or community association – where use of the facility is dependant on the users being members of a particular sports club or association.

How do I get hold of information about my nearest sports facilities?

All you have to do is key in your postcode and the distance from home you can travel, and Active Places will list sports facilities within reach.

You can also search by sport type or facility or by using an interactive map.

It means that anyone who wants to find out where to play sport or get fit can do so in a matter of seconds.

Site information includes contact numbers, addresses, type of facility, accessibility, membership fees, parking and more.