Witney News - Leisure centres offer to help forces families integrate into community

Leisure centres offer to help forces families integrate into community

Serving Ministry of Defence personnel and their families are being offered discounted memberships at West Oxfordshire leisure centres to help them become a part of the local community.

The initiative in support of the Armed Forces Communities Covenant will entitle military families discounts of up to 30 per cent on leisure centre activities. This includes swimming, group exercise classes, racquet sports and the Gym as well as priority and online booking at all of the Nexus-run leisure centres in the district.

The scheme was launched at Carterton Leisure Centre with Cllr Richard Langridge, Cabinet Member for Communities and Flying Officer Michael Masters of RAF Brize Norton and Ben Border, Nexus Partnership Manager (pictured left to right).

Cllr Langridge said: “The district is home to the largest RAF station, RAF Brize Norton, and service personnel and their families play an important part of life in West Oxfordshire. They have always been welcomed locally and we are keen to do all we can to help service personnel settle in, feel a part of our community and enjoy living here.”

Flying Officer Michael Masters, Officer Commanding Community Support, said, “RAF Brize Norton is thankful for the support from West Oxfordshire District Council. We are continually working on new ways to forge close liaisons with the local community and businesses. This initiative will provide additional facilities and service to the local military personnel, MOD employees and their dependants, located in the West Oxfordshire district community.”

The Armed Forces Covenant aims to encourage support for families from the armed forces and promote activities that help them integrate into local life.

For more information and to pick up an application form, service personnel and their families can call 01993 861981 or visit any of West Oxfordshire’s leisure centres, based in Carterton, Chipping Norton, Eynsham or Witney (the Windrush).