National Fitness Day 2025

National Fitness Day 2025 falls on Wednesday 24 of September 2025. The theme is “Powered by You”; encouraging people of all ages to engage in physical activity and celebrate the importance of fitness in their lives. 

SERC has corporate membership with local councils who offer reduced monthly fees for staff at the following centres: 

• Ards and North Down Borough Council Leisure Centre  
• Bangor Aurora 
• Newry and Mourne Leisure Services 
• Get Active ABC – Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon 

UK Healthcare, the college’s health care provider, offers discounts for gyms near you, and these can be accessed on their website - use the code UKH.

SERC offers the Cycle to Work Scheme, on which staff can avail of a bike and/or safety equipment up to the value of £5,000 through sacrificing part of their salary. The bike is leased to the scheme member over a 12-month period and is tax free. For more information click here. 

Staff can use the college gym facilities free of charge in SERC Bangor, Downpatrick, and Lisburn campuses after undertaking a 30-minute gym induction. If you would like to book a gym induction, email mindyourself@serc.ac.uk for more information.

For more information on fitness centres and opportunities available to SERC staff, click here. 

In the lead up to National Fitness Day, the college is running a 5k a day step challenge, starting on the 22nd of September 2025 and finishing on the 3rd of October 2025. Details will be sent via email to staff. There will be the opportunity to win a goodie bag. This challenge and the prize will hopefully give you the motivation to get out for a morning walk, take the stairs, meet up with your colleagues at lunchtime or leave the car at home to get those steps up.  

However you do it, incorporating exercise into your daily routine can help you improve your fitness and is beneficial for your mental health.