Keeping Active

St.Helens Sports Development Team

The St.Helens Sports Development Team offer a range of free sporting activities across the borough. These activities include: darts, multi-sports, football, break dancing, gym access and boxing.

Find a programme of activities.

Gym Pass

If you are an Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant young person, you will be entitled to receive a gym membership from a local authority leisure facility. If there is any reason you are not able to attend a local authority gym, you will speak to your Personal Adviser and they will make a request to the team manager to request an alternative leisure facility. If you are not using this membership, the local authority will review it and may withdraw the membership.

Find all of the St.Helens local authority leisure facilities.

Keycard Scheme

What is the Keycard Scheme?

The discount scheme for leisure activities in St.Helens is known as the Keycard Scheme. This scheme is only open to St. Helens borough residents and their immediate dependents who have been in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits for at least four weeks.

The keycard entitles the holder to 50% discount on a range of sporting and recreational activities including swimming, use of fitness facilities and beginners' swimming lessons. Residents can benefit both financially and improve their health and fitness by joining the scheme.

Do I qualify?

All St.Helens residents and immediate dependents (see "Dependent Relatives") who have been in receipt of one of the benefits listed below for at least four weeks will be entitled to a keycard:

• Income Support/Employer's Support.
• Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance.
• Working Tax Credit.
• Housing Benefit.
• Council Tax Benefit.
• Pension Credit.
• Foster Carers.

Please note: Contributory Based Job Seeker's Allowance, Council Tax Rebate, Incapacity Benefit, DLA and Child Tax Credit do not apply to this scheme. For further information, contact your local leisure centre.

What will the keycard cost me?

• The keycard is £4.00 to residents of St.Helens entering the scheme for 12 months.
• An administration fee of £4.00 will be charged for all lost or replacement cards.
• You will receive a keycard (valid for 12 months). This card will entitle you to use many popular facilities at 50% discount.

How do I obtain a keycard application form?

From any library, youth centre, leisure centre or swimming pool in the borough, or you can download the application form here.

You will need:

• An application form stamped on the reverse by the agency that issues your benefit.
• When applying for a keycard for dependent relatives, your Child Benefit Reference Number must be completed on your application form.
• For collection of your card(s) you will need some form of identification, e.g. a utility bill, driving licence or passport.

What do I do now?

Nothing, your application will be processed at your chosen leisure centre. Remember, without a keycard, you will have to pay the full price for the same facilities!

Terms and Conditions

A 50% discount on all normal charges for the activities within the scheme. (50% reduction on children's swimming lessons applies to beginners only, i.e. up to A.S.A Stage 3). Facilities may only be used at a discounted rate during off-peak times; opening to 5pm, Mon-Sun.

Keycard holders cannot pre-book facilities. For instance, squash and badminton courts can be used by keycard holders if available on arrival.

All players on a court must be keycard holders.

Discount use does not apply to special events, organised sessions or direct payment sessions, e.g. Aeromix or Zumba classes. Details are available at your nearest leisure centre.

For safety reasons, all users of weight training facilities must first be assessed. Normal fees will apply to assessment. Please contact the relevant facility for details.

All keycard users must abide by the conditions of use that apply at each facility. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the card.

If your keycard is lost or stolen, please report it to the keycard administrator immediately.

St.Helens Council reserves the right to change the Terms and Conditions of the Pastime Keycard Scheme at any time.