Flip Out Chatham has been open for over 2 years now with over 300,000 “Flippers” having had fun, burnt some serious calories and improved their technique, co-ordination, confidence and motor skills in that time.
When we spoke to the team for their launch back in November 2016, then Sports Minister, Tracey Crouch MP had officially opened the park at the Dockside Outlet and they expressed their ambition to provide a safe, all inclusive environment for everyone in Medway and aimed to tackle child obesity in any way they could.
Today nothing has changed and getting more children active is still top of the list of priorities and along with Kent Sports Trust, they have given away over £40,000 worth of passes to local schools in November alone!
Having handed out over 4,000 free passes, Lydon Smith, General Manager at Flip Out Chatham, was pleased to have had the support in getting so many local school children active:
“We have been proud partners with the Kent Sports Trust for over 2 years now, we have shared beliefs in getting children off their phones and getting them more active, sociable and gaining confidence in doing something fun which the whole family can do together.”
“Sadly budgets at the local schools for PE and extra curricular activities are restrictive meaning children, especially those from less advantaged backgrounds, aren’t able to do as much.”
“This is why we are still committed to being able to offer the amount of free sessions we have done to all primary and secondary schools in the area.”
Meanwhile, Steve Wolfe, CEO at Kent Sports Trust, reiterated their desire to support Flip Out Chatham in getting kids active:
“We’ve got a passion and determination to see children from all backgrounds in being active and I can’t think of anything more fun than trampolining!”
“The team at Flip Out Chatham share our vision in supporting these young people we’ve given free tickets to, helping get them active, whilst supporting our aim to drive down childhood obesity and inactivity.”
This past year has seen a number of high profile names visit Flip Out Chatham including former Manchester United and England footballer Rio Ferdinand and Dame Kelly Holmes.
The double Olympic champion took part in a fitness session at Flip Out and was delighted to have seen the work they do to support getting people active:
“I absolutely loved bouncing – it’s so much fun!” said Dame Kelly Holmes.
“The benefits of being active are huge, on both your physical and mental health, and trampolining burns so many calories whilst having fun.”
“It’s so important that we get and keep our young people active and I applaud both Flip Out Chatham and Kent Sports Trust for doing so much to make that happen.”