Experts say the leisure centres were vital as both places of exercise and as community hubs acting as a guard against social isolation and loneliness
The loss of leisure centres in Gateshead will have a severe impact on locals’ mental health, experts fear.
There has been outrage over the closures of both Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Swimming Centre, which were shut down due to council budget cuts in July. Opponents of the move have already pointed out added pressure on NHS services, disruption for sports clubs forced to find new facilities, and huge travel costs for schools that now have to bus their children to swimming pools in other parts of town.
And there are huge concerns about the effects the closures have on mental health too – both because of the role exercise plays in people’s emotional wellbeing and because the centres acted as key social hubs for their communities, helping those who could otherwise become isolated and lonely. Gareth Cooper, of charity Mental Health North East, likened the closures to a bereavement.
Full article at source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/gateshead-leisure-centre-mental-health-27725116
Author: The Walking Football
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