Kick-start a healthy routine by joining the gym
- Overview
A regular gym routine plays a crucial part in improving wellbeing and, as a charity, our connected health services are geared towards helping improve the health of the nation.
Matthew Horsley, Deputy General Manager at Nuffield Health City Fitness & Wellbeing Gym, has worked for Nuffield Health for almost 10 years, having started his career as a health and wellbeing physiologist at London West End Medical Centre. Matthew is responsible for daily operations, membership, and fitness, while delivering exceptional customer experience.
We caught up with Matthew to find out how a regular gym routine can boost wellbeing, and how City Fitness & Wellbeing has ensured their environment remains safe and accessible for returning customers.
Have customer habits changed post-pandemic?
The biggest change is that people are being more choosey about the exact time they arrive at the gym, attempting to avoid traditional peak times. As a result, it’s harder for us to understand what is going to be our busy period. Scheduling classes, small group training and personal training, has been quite a challenge. Initially, customers were concerned about health, safety, and wellbeing because of the pandemic, and associated risks of being in a closed space. However, due to our marketing around COVID awareness, people have felt safe and more comfortable about returning. Everyone has applauded our cleanliness, as well as the way we have reacted and responded throughout the pandemic.
How can a regular gym routine boost wellbeing?
A lot of people suffered through COVID-19 from a lack of social interaction. Mental health is now at the forefront of a lot of people’s agendas. From that point of view, there’s a great opportunity for people to join our squash league and there are classes where people can meet friends face-to-face. Also, when customers have an appointment with an emotional wellbeing therapist through Nuffield Health, our gym facilities are recommended to them in line with their other therapies, which all works in tandem.
What makes us so different to a lot of other gyms?
I think it’s the variety of services that we offer and the fact we try to make it a complete journey for the customer. I’ve seen the journey (in other places) where service lines work independently. Here at Nuffield Health, a customer can be referred from hospital, arrive for physiotherapy, which offers a 30-day gym pass, and use the gym for their ongoing health and fitness journey. We recognise members for their loyalty with 20% discounts on all our other services, and we’re able to signpost them appropriately. I think value for money is a huge benefit as well.
What are the most popular services?
- Exercise classes, part of the membership package
- Physiotherapy
- Personal Training
What do you enjoy most in your role?
The environment and the team. I’ve always been interested in health from a young age, which is why working for Nuffield Health attracted me after I completed my degree. It’s always been a great place to work with friendly staff, everyone’s really engaging and wants to do well for the customer. We do everything we can to give them the best possible experience and we really are trying to improve the health of the nation. We’ve got a great opportunity to get people in and keep seeing them again and again, so that’s what I quite enjoy.
Begin your health and fitness journey today
Nuffield Health’s gym membership gives you access to multiple clubs across our large network. We also have a range of exclusive discounts across physiotherapy and health assessments, as well as flexible payment plans, either as a 12-month term or month by month.
To arrange a free gym tour at your chosen fitness & wellbeing centre, click here.
Last updated Friday 2 September 2022
First published on Monday 25 October 2021