Health and fitness at the heart of University’s new partnership

Sport and Exercise at the University of Northampton has received a boost thanks to a new partnership with a town health and fitness provider.

Trilogy Leisure and the University have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which will see the organisations collaborate in areas including research, education, knowledge exchange, project funding and business support.

The MOU formalises the existing relationship between Trilogy and the University, which has seen a number of link-ups, including:

• Trilogy offering discounted membership of its sport and leisure facilities for staff and students, including a gym, pool and fitness classes at Cripps Recreation Centre.
• Some of the 20,000 hours of placement activity that the Sport and Exercise students undertake each year being at Trilogy venues.
• The University swim team, dance club and jiu jitsu club using Trilogy facilities for weekly training sessions.

Future opportunities will include Trilogy supporting the University’s research around social prescribing activity to increase people’s wellbeing. Trilogy has also been supporting the University’s Energy Elite Athlete Scholarship by providing free membership to its eight venues to the University Elite Scholars.

Luke Callis, the University’s Applied Sports Scientist said: “We are delighted to formulise our partnership with Trilogy.

“Its values and ours align, in that Trilogy does a lot of work in the community to bring health, wellness and fitness to disadvantaged groups in the region.

“We work with Trilogy on a number of projects, and we’ve been particularly grateful for its willingness to allow our sport students gain placement hours. This gives the students an insight into working in health, wellbeing and the leisure industry.

“Not only does it allow them to apply theory in the real world, but they also develop social networks which are invaluable to forge a successful career after graduation.”

Trilogy Leisure managing director, John Fletcher, said: “We are working with the University on a variety of partnerships to support the mental health and the overall wellbeing of both students and staff and we are proud to be supporting the Energy Elite Athlete Scholarship.”

Trilogy Cripps Recreation Centre, with its gym, swimming pool and classes is less than a five-minute walk from Waterside campus. Staff and students pay just £14.99 a month to access fitness classes, pool and gym.

Pictured signing the MOU are John Sinclair, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology, left, and Trilogy Leisure managing director, John Fletcher.