new
opening
WHEN THE FA RELOCATED
ITS HEADQUARTERS TO
WEMBLEY LAST YEAR, IT
BUILT THE STADIUM’S FIRST
EVER STAFF GYM. KAY
GLOVER REPORTS
T
he legendary Wembley
Stadium is one of our most
loved national landmarks
and has been home to some
extraordinary events since it began its
life as Wembley Park Leisure Grounds
in 1880. Highlights include hosting the
first ever FA Cup final in 1923, the 1948
Olympic Games, the 1966 World Cup
and Live Aid in 1985, and most recently
the stadium’s re-invention in 2007.
Many of our sporting heroes have
displayed their skills on Wembley’s
famous pitch in front of millions of
spectators – but what about the people
behind the scenes? In August last
year, the headquarters of the Football
Association (FA) moved to Wembley,
and all 550-plus staff who work for The
FA Group are now based there. Until
this point, however, there had never
been a staff gym at the stadium.
“We wanted to give staff something hearing and eye testing. There are also (1,500sq ft) open space that’s now the
they had never had before – something tennis, netball, football and running clubs. fitness suite. Its location at basement level,
we knew they would appreciate and One of the biggest challenges for the near the main staff entrance, was chosen
use. Given the nature of our work, Wembley gym team has therefore been for both its accessibility and the fact that
most of us have an interest in sport to integrate the facility with everything the gym can consequently be used all year
and fi tness, so the introduction of a else that’s already on offer. round, without needing to be closed
staff gym to the stadium seemed like The gym has been paid for by The FA during major events taking place at the
a natural step. It’s important for us Group and is designed to be self-funding: venue. Alongside the gym are two group
to have happy and healthy staff – staff staff pay a small membership fee, but any exercise studios, one of which is used on
welfare is central to our business profi t will be ploughed straight back into match days as warm-up room for players.
strategy,” says Greg Gillin, director of the facility to benefi t its members. “Our expertise is in staging world
facilities management for The FA Group. class events. We’re not fi tness experts
Indeed, the staff wellbeing programme inviting environment so, when the decision to build a gym
includes a variety of other employee The decision to build a gym was taken in was made, we put the business out to
benefi ts including an on-site occupational March 2009 and, by August, the locker/ tender. We selected Life Fitness to help
nurse, physiotherapy, chiropody, sports changing rooms earmarked for conversion us create and maximise the space, and
massage, beauty therapy and both had been transformed into the 140sq m Bladerunner to help us manage it,” says
All-embracing The Life Fitness-equipped gym incorporates a number of different zones to appeal to experienced and new users
76 Read Health Club Management online february 2010 © cybertrek 2010
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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