National Fitness Day: Powered by people in Belfast

To celebrate the success of Dydd Cenedlaethol Ffitrwydd 2026, we’re looking back at the activations run by ukactive members to help people get active on the day.

In this blog, Sarah Owens, Regional Marketing Manager at GLL, shares details of the free taster sessions hosted at Better leisure centres across Belfast to celebrate National Fitness Day.

When Belfast was named a European City of Sport for 2026, I was passionate about shining a spotlight on my home city to showcase not only our sporting achievements but also the vital role physical activity plays in building healthier, more connected communities.

This year, National Fitness Day gave us the perfect platform to do exactly that.

As the charitable social enterprise operating Belfast’s leisure centres under the Better brand, our team worked alongside ukactive to deliver a city-wide programme of activities that reflected this year’s theme, Powered by You.

The campaign recognises that the true power behind physical activity comes from the people who take part, whether they are trying an activity for the first time, returning after a break, or inspiring others through their own journey.

Across Belfast, we recorded more than 250 additional people attending our sites through National Fitness Day taster sessions, gym activities and fitness classes, alongside multiple dedicated events that encouraged people of all ages and abilities to get active.

At Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre, an Aqua Aerobics session included Sinead McElmeel, whose inspiring recovery journey through exercise was recently highlighted in local media. Her story is a reminder that physical activity is not just about fitness, it can rebuild a person’s confidence and support their recovery.

Meanwhile, at Avoniel Leisure Centre, we created an outdoor fitness class which was ambitious given our weather but proved a highlight of the day. Long-standing Better member Lyndsey shared how her relationship with exercise has changed over the years, from her teenage ambitions to be skinny to her discovery of strength training and how it’s helped her overcome injuries as a busy mum to three young children.

One of the highlights for me was the multi-sports event at Girdwood Community Hub, where 120 pupils from two north Belfast primary schools enjoyed fencing, athletics, Olympic handball, football and traditional sports day activities. Seeing so many kids enjoying sport as part of their school day was a powerful reminder that creating positive experiences at an early age is key to building lifelong healthy habits.

What stood out most throughout the day were the stories behind the participation. We met members recovering from injury, long-standing gym users who have transformed their relationship with fitness, older adults discovering new activities, and young people finding confidence through sport.

Their experiences reflected one of the key messages emerging from National Fitness Day – that people increasingly view gyms and leisure centres not just as places to improve your physical health, but as social hubs where you can build confidence, improve wellbeing and connect with others.

That message is particularly important in Belfast. Over recent years, we have significantly expanded the reach and impact of our facilities and programmes across the city. With one in eight people living in Belfast now being a member with Better, this has seen usage and engagement skyrocket over the last decade. This year alone, we are on track to have almost four million visits to our centres across the city.

National Fitness Day proved how leisure centres have evolved into genuine community hubs where people can improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

As our European City of Sport celebrations continue, we are still committed to creating more opportunities for people to move, connect and thrive. National Fitness Day showed that when the sector works together, we can reach new audiences, break down barriers to participation and create positive experiences that last far beyond a single day.

Most importantly, it reminded me that sport and physical activity are powered by people.

And in Belfast, that power was on display for all to see

For more information about Better leisure centres in Belfast, cliciwch yma.

To find out more about National Fitness Day, cliciwch yma.