Sheffield gym shares powerful letter to MP in battle to stay open during second lockdown
and live on Freeview channel 276
As of 00.01am on Thursday, November 5, all gyms and fitness facilities will be forced to shut as this year’s second national lockdown comes into effect.
S20 Physique, located in the Holbrook Industrial Estate will remain open until 10pm on Wednesday, November 4 unless the government perform a u-turn on which non-essential retailers can stay open during the shutdown.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGym manager Dean Ellis, sent an open letter to the Labour MP for Sheffield South East Clive Betts, appealing for his support to campaign against the Government’s decision to close gyms, citing the low-COVID transmission figures in relation to gyms and the mental health benefits of exercise.
It comes after research from Sheffield Hallam University and King Juan Carlos University in Spain found that fitness clubs and leisure facilities have ‘extremely’ low levels of coronavirus risk.
In a letter to Mr Betts, the manager wrote: “We bring people together not only for their physical fitness but also their mental health needs within the community we have carefully built over the last 4 years, the supporting family feel has been instrumental in not only countless charity efforts but also the success in assisting many people over come their demons and in extreme cases suicidal thoughts.
“I am sure you are aware of the stats however here are just a few again for us personally as a facility we have had 12,325 people through the doors since we reopened on July 25th with 0 cases of corona reported to us or through any of the track and trace efforts.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Fitness facilities as a whole over the Uk have had over 30,000,000 people through their track and trace systems with only 78 confirmed cases within the industry this equals 1 in 384,615 people.”
Dean encouraged those in power to help overturn the new rules which prevents gyms from being open throughout the new one-month shutdown.
He continued: “I am sure you are inundated with emails and requests I simply must implore you to listen to our cries, look at the facts and help us to fight for the mental and physical wellbeing of not only our community but the whole of the united kingdom.”