On Saturday 12 July 2025, it will be 95 years since Stokewood Leisure Centre in Winton open its doors – and what better way to mark this milestone than with a great line-up of selected FREE activities and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Saturday 12 July: Games, fitness, and family fun for all
From 9:35am–11:10am residents are invited to kick off the celebrations with a FREE energy-packed 95-minute Les Mills™ Birthday Mash-Up exercise class. Led by BH Live Active instructors, this special class features favourite Les Mills™ workouts like Body Combat, Body Attack, Body Balance, and Core. All ages and abilities are welcome. Spaces are limited, book via the BH Live Active app to avoid disappointment. Free party bags filled with BH Live Active goodies for participants.
From 10am–4pm, the centre will be running family-friendly games including Splat the Rat, Coconut Shy, Hook a Duck, face painting, and more. Cash donations are required to take part and play, with proceeds donated to Aquability Bournemouth, a fantastic local charity helping people enjoy accessible, inclusive swimming activities.
For the little ones, a special birthday-themed Wet & Wacky will take place from 2:15pm-3:05pm. From 3:30pm-4:30pm, a FREE water polo event for Under 16s will be hosted by Bournemouth Swim Club – spaces are bookable online.
Photo opportunity
At 3:15pm, there will be a ribbon-cutting opening ceremony with a special guest, just like the one hosted by Mayor Percy May Bright in 1930. Documents and photography showcasing Stokewood’s history will also be on display in the centre’s new Grab and Go Terrace café.
And for one day only, visitors can also enjoy FREE gym and swim sessions and selected group exercise classes throughout the day.
Sunday 13 July: Time to Unwind
Wind down the weekend with a relaxing Yoga Retreat on Sunday 13 July, from 1pm–5pm.
Costing £25 for non-members and £20 for BH Live Active members, the session includes yoga styles such as Vinyasa and Yin and Nidra meditation to complete and enhance relaxation*. For more information and booking, visit bhliveactive.org.uk/whats-on/yoga-retreat.
Proudly serving the community for nearly a century, Stokewood clocks up more than 300,000 attendances each year including local residents of all ages, school children and local clubs.
It comprises of a well-equipped gym with lift access, 70+ weekly group exercise classes including group cycling, Box Fit, Pilates, Circuits, Aqua Fit, and Les Mills classes, a swimming pool with lane swimming, children’s activities and parties, and is popular with local sports clubs for training including water polo, triathlon training, karate and more. Hundreds of people are learning a vital skill for life through BH Live’s Swimming Academy programme and many more are harnessing the power of exercise and movement to manage their health conditions.
Stokewood Leisure Centre is owned by BCP Council. For 15 years it has been operated by registered charity and social enterprise BH Live whose purpose is to provide community health and wellbeing activities for all.
On behalf of BH Live, Rob Cunningham, Director of Leisure and Business Development shared;
“Celebrating 95 years of Stokewood Leisure Centre serving the community is a proud moment for us all. This centre has played a vital role in helping generations of local people live healthier, more active lives. It’s a space where friendships are formed, confidence is built, and community comes together. As we mark this milestone, we’re excited to celebrate Stokewood’s incredible history while looking ahead to an even more active and inclusive future.”
For more information on centre facilities and opening times, visit bhliveactive.org.uk/stokewood.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
*Yoga mats will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own water, pillow, or blanket for comfort.
For more information about BH Live please contact:
Daisy Saunders, PR & Communications Executive
E: press.office@bhlive.org.uk
About BH Live
Champions of community engagement, health and wellness across Dorset, Hampshire, and London
BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise, is a leading operator of sports and leisure centres, theatres, and event venues. Our vision is to create sustainable and inspiring opportunities, deliver great experiences for our communities, and improve health and well-being.
With a strong commitment to accessibility and community engagement, BH Live continues to enhance the quality of people’s lives, health and wellbeing in the communities it serves.
BH Live was established in 2010. Local authority partners include BCP Council, Portsmouth City Council and Croydon Council.
We are at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy. Together with our partners we are helping to change lives and make a positive impact in the community.
For more visit bhlive.org.uk.
Get social with us:
LinkedIn – BH Live
Facebook – @SocialEnterpriseBHLive
Instagram @bhliveuk
BH Live is a leisure and cultural trust, established in 2010 as a ‘non profit distributing organisation’ (NPDO) for public benefit to promote participation in leisure and cultural events. BH Live is a Company Limited by Guarantee and Registered Charity. Charity No: 1138311. Company No: 07092112. VAT Reg No: 108 2248 37. BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd, is a Private Company Limited by Shares and a wholly owned subsidiary of BH Live. Company No: 07175626. VAT Reg No: 108 2248 37. Registered Office: Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5BH. Registered in England and Wales.
About Stokewood Leisure Centre
Stokewood opened as a public baths in 1930.
It is now operated by the registered charity BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.
Set in the heart of the Winton/Charminster area of Bournemouth, Stokewood is a thriving community leisure centre with circa 300,000 attendances a year.
There is a well-equipped gym which is split over two levels with lift access. The group exercises class timetable is extensive with more than 70 classes each week spanning from HIIT to spin to yoga.
In 2024, the centre’s poolside changing rooms were completely transformed with new shower facilities, lockers and toilets. Accessible changing rooms are also available.
The centre is home to local sports clubs for activities including triathlon, water polo, lifeguard training, and Kanku Shotokan Karate. Stokewood is also popular for hosting pool parties, school swimming lessons and Bournemouth Swimming Academy activities.
Free customer parking including accessible spaces for blue badge holders, subject to availability.
For more visit bhliveactive.org.uk/stokewood
Get social with us:
Instagram – @bhliveactive
Facebook – @stokewoodleisurecentre