Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ola Jordan will be among the star names attending an open day at Kirkby Leisure Centre on Saturday, 11 March.
The event is being held to celebrate the facility’s first six months in business, with a wide variety of free and paid-for activities being laid on for the local community.
The state-of-the-art £15.5 million site, run by Everyone Active in partnership with Ashfield District Council, has enjoyed a successful start to life with more than 100,000 visits since it opened in August.
Ola spent 10 seasons as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, winning the title with Chris Hollins in 2009.
She will be joined by Eddie the Eagle Edwards, who was the first competitor in 60 years to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping in 1988.
Completing the line-up is local swimmer Ollie Hynd, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and four-time world champion.
Ollie has been a big supporter of Kirkby Leisure Centre from an early stage and signed the first girder when it went into the ground on May 2021.
All three celebrities will be present at the centre on Saturday morning and will be taking part in the activity programme, as well as signing autographs and having selfies taken with the public.
Ola will host two beginner dance classes in the group exercise studio while Eddie the Eagle will head to the gym and climbing wall areas. Ollie will go poolside to engage with swimmers having lessons and hand out badges and awards.
Among the other activities available are free gym and swimming sessions, fun climbing, soft play, face painting, balloon modelling and arts and crafts, as well as cookery demonstrations.
The day will formally begin with a speech by Council Leader Jason Zadrozny in the foyer shortly after 9.15 am. This will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the celebrities in the sports hall at 9.30 am.
The open day is part of an overall weekend of celebration. Further fitness activities and two cinema screenings – Matilda the Musical and Eddie the Eagle – are taking place on Sunday, March 12.
Full information on the activity programme and booking selected activities will be released soon.
Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “We believe the huge programme of activities and celebrity involvement will prove the ideal way to celebrate Kirkby Leisure Centre’s first six months open with the whole community.
“We want to show as many people as possible the state-of-the-art facility on their doorstep, which has something for everyone, no matter what your age, interests or ability.
“We look forward to welcoming the public, giving them the chance to try out the fantastic facilities and putting on a weekend to remember.”
Ashfield District Council Leader, Jason Zadrozny said: “We are proud that this fantastic new Leisure Centre is proving to be so popular with residents and we can’t wait for people to come and join in the celebrations. For those who have yet to visit the Centre, come along and try some of the amazing facilities such as the fun climbing or join in one of the activities with our special guests. It promises to be a great day for all the family.”
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