Fitness Instructor, Steve Hill, or Ste to his friends, has been shortlisted at the National Fitness Awards in the Outstanding Achievement category for his inspirational work supporting the customers at Horwich Leisure Centre on their wellbeing journeys.

Ste has been at Horwich for over 10 years, and runs a number of very popular, often oversubscribed, exercise classes at the centre, including Low-Impact Circuits and Cardio Tennis, but it’s for his overall contribution to the health and wellbeing needs of the community that he’s been recognised by the National Fitness Award judges.

Customers like Gillian, who credits Ste with ‘saving her life’.

“I used to be very active, but a knee injury put paid to that. I remember the first time I entered the gym at Horwich Leisure Centre. I was in tears, as I didn’t have the leg strength to do even one push of the indoor cycle pedal. Ste was there that day and took me under his wing.

placeholder image — Ste Hill at Horwich Leisure Centre

Gillian was told by doctors she’d never run again but is now an active member of a local running club.

“I can never thank Ste enough for what he’s done.”

Gillian is one of hundreds of local people Ste has helped over the years, using his patient, understanding style to gently ease people into being more active, helping their physical and mental health.

The National Fitness Awards are an annual event, which recognises excellence and achievement in gyms throughout the country with shortlisted facilities being as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Devon. The awards are organised by Script Events in conjunction with leading fitness industry publication Workout Magazine, with support from headline sponsor ServiceSport.

The judging process for the National Fitness Awards consists of a series of written submissions combined with a judge’s visit, so each team can showcase first-hand the great work going on in their facilities. Following this visit, a comprehensive report is produced, which will then be passed on to an expert judging panel to decide the lucky winners.

Mahendra Patel, Partnership Manager for Bolton Community Leisure Trust, which operates Horwich Leisure Centre, said:

“We’re all so proud of Ste and wish him the best of luck for the awards night, which takes place in Leicester on November 29th.

“It’s people like Ste who make our centres such welcoming places, as we support people of all ages and abilities towards more active, happier lives.”

Trophies for the National Fitness Awards will be handed out at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday, November 29th at The Athena venue in Leicester. The presenter will be former top 400 metre athlete, Derek Redmond.

National Fitness Awards’ event director Dominic Musgrave said:

“The National Fitness Awards are now in their 14th year and with more entries than ever before, our finalists really have reason to celebrate too as it’s a huge achievement to have made the shortlist and is testament to the teams behind each."

The Bolton Community Leisure Trust operates five facilities across Bolton, in partnership with Serco Leisure and on behalf of Bolton Council. For more information about the trust centres, visit its website: Bolton Community Leisure (boltonleisure.com)