Glasgow Club celebrates 25 years of spreading love for health and fitness on Valentine's Day
Scotland’s largest network of health and fitness centres, Glasgow Club – which is operated by Glasgow Life – celebrates its 25th anniversary on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2025.
The milestone highlights the charity’s commitment to supporting health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity, as well as Glasgow Club’s achievements over a quarter of a century to help enhance lives in the city.
Glasgow Club has played a pivotal role in spreading a love of fitness and community in Glasgow – encouraging and enabling thousands of residents of all ages and all abilities to benefit from improved physical and mental health and social connection through its inclusive facilities.
Glasgow Club currently has 36,000 direct debit members. The number of people who take advantage of the opportunities offered by its extensive, citywide network of venues – which include gyms and fitness studios with the latest equipment, courts, pools and cafés, and offer the guidance of a team of expert trainers – has more than trebled since the club’s earliest days when around 150 weekly classes were held in Glasgow City Council sport venues.
Today’s members enjoy a much more extensive, flexible programme of over 1,000 classes a week, with varied and exciting options including Body Attack, Body Pump, DanceFit and Les Mills sessions to suit everyone, from beginners to experienced fitness fans and gym-goers. Glasgow Club also offers specialist classes designed for people with disabilities, physical impairments and health conditions.
A range of flexible and affordable memberships is available, with the standard monthly option costing £31 – just £1 more than in 2000 when Glasgow Club started – to offer city residents exceptional value, particularly in comparison to other health clubs and gym groups.
Group Fitness Health and Fitness Development Officer Louise Askew has been teaching at Glasgow Club since its establishment. She said: “I love seeing how much our members get out of attending. It’s fantastic and so rewarding to see the buzz they get from coming together to work toward their personal goals, building their fitness and confidence, and just having fun.”
Many members have been regular attendees since Glasgow Club started 25 years ago. Long-standing regulars – Karen Pirie, Jeanette McKeown, Nan Keenan, and Carol Bauld who all attend Glasgow Club Bellahouston – typify the connection and friendships that membership can forge.
Karen, 61, said: “I’ve been going to Bellahouston since about 1990; I can walk there in less than five minutes so it’s really handy. Keeping fit and active has always been important to me, and when my kids were young, the creche was really useful. I’m there now almost every day. The teachers are fabulous; I’ve worked with the same girls for years, and getting together with my gym buddies is great fun. The friendliness makes it a really lovely community.”
Karen’s husband Graham, who was a podiatrist and is now the Trade Union official for the Royal College of Podiatry, started joining his wife at classes a few years ago. He said: “I was never really into the gym and preferred outdoor sports like tennis, but Karen always said I didn’t know what I was missing. She was right - I really enjoy classes now and definitely feel the benefit. I’m a great believer in the saying, ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’ and keeping active is even more of a priority now I’m in my 60s.”
Jeanette, a Modern Languages teacher, said: “I love going to my classes every week and being able to switch off from the demands of my job; it’s done so much for both my physical and mental health.
“The teachers are so inspiring, and there’s a great choice of classes that are tailor-made for everyone’s needs and abilities. You meet people of all ages and from all backgrounds and the atmosphere is always great, there’s no competitiveness and we just have a great time together.”
Nan, who is 66, added: “I’ve been going to fitness classes even before Glasgow Club Bellahouston started. The main difference since the early days is that there’s so much more choice, with far more classes and lots of flexibility to suit anyone’s schedule – and the facilities are great.
“It’s superb value for money too – other clubs and gyms are so much more expensive and don’t offer everything Glasgow Club gives me. Being a member feels like being part of one big family; I’ve made such great friendships, and the fitness benefits keep me feeling young.”
Carol, 70, added: “I had to have treatment for cancer a few years ago and being able to continue with classes definitely helped my recovery. Attending classes has made such a difference to my physical and mental health over the years; it’s been a lifesaver really, so being a member is very important to me. And the social connection and support you get from other members, as well as the teachers, has also been invaluable to me.”
Glasgow Life Head of Sport, Alan Milner, added: “Over a quarter of a century, Glasgow Club has transformed the way people use health and fitness facilities in the city, making a major, positive impact.
“Celebrating 25 years of making a real difference to the lives of city residents is a huge milestone for Glasgow Club, and as it’s all about inspiring and sharing a love for physical activity and community spirit, it’s appropriate that the anniversary coincides with Valentine’s Day.
“Membership has grown through a range of very affordable, flexible plans which don’t involve a joining fee or administration charges, and don’t hold members to a contract. And as the only not-for-profit health club in the city, all the funds Glasgow Club makes are re-invested in the excellent services and facilities that benefit thousands of members every year.
“Glasgow Club is definitely become a much-loved city asset, and I have no doubt it will continue to be greatly valued over the next 25 years, remaining at the heart of health and fitness in the city.”
More information on Glasgow Club and the range of membership plans it offers is available here.