Fair Rates for Fitness has now reached 72% of UK constituencies, and we have been blown away by the response to the campaign so far.

Thousands of gym members, class regulars and everyday exercisers across the country have written to their MPs. The campaign has gained incredible momentum, showing just how strongly this issue resonates with people throughout the UK.

Reaching this milestone feels like the perfect opportunity to consider why so many people have chosen to take action. Writing to an MP requires more effort than liking or sharing a post, so it is clear that the campaign has struck a chord.

Protecting community health

For many supporters, the campaign comes down to protecting the physical, mental and social health of their communities.

A local gym, studio or fitness club is often one of the few remaining spaces where people from completely different backgrounds regularly meet and get to know one another.

When these facilities close, or membership prices rise beyond what local people can afford, a community loses far more than another business. It loses a place where people can connect, build routines and feel that they belong.

Places that change people’s lives

We have also heard inspiring personal stories from people who rebuilt their health after illness, recovered from a difficult period or simply found their way back into exercise through the support of a local gym.

Independent fitness facilities often understand their members on a personal level. Their teams know people’s stories, recognise their progress and notice when someone needs additional support.

That relationship is difficult to recreate at scale. When rising business rates threaten the future of these facilities, members do not simply see a business under pressure. They see a place that has made a genuine difference to their lives.

Keeping fitness within reach

Access and affordability have been two of the strongest arguments behind the campaign.

The UK needs more affordable places where people can exercise, not fewer. Every gym closure or unavoidable membership price increase risks pushing fitness further out of reach for the people who may benefit from it most.

That brings us back to the central message of Fair Rates for Fitness: fitness facilities are part of preventative healthcare.

When more people remain active and healthy, fewer may need support from GPs, hospitals and other NHS services. Gyms and fitness clubs make an important contribution to public health every day, yet that contribution is not properly reflected in the way the sector is treated.

A fairer approach to business rates

The fitness sector has watched other industries receive business rates relief and financial support from successive governments. Hospitality businesses have faced an incredibly difficult few years, and the support they have received has been important.

However, it raises a fair question. If the government can support pubs and restaurants through challenging trading conditions, why should it not also support the facilities working to keep the nation active and healthy?

Successive governments and political parties have spoken about creating a healthier, happier and more active Britain. Fairer business rates would turn those ambitions into practical support for the businesses already delivering that outcome in communities across the country.

Help us reach every constituency

Reaching 72% of UK constituencies shows that this message is getting through, but there is still more to do.

If you have not contacted your MP yet, you can add your voice to the thousands of people who have already taken part. Visit Fair Rates for Fitness, enter your postcode and use the prepared template to ask your MP to support fairer business rates for independent gyms and fitness facilities.

Together, we can make sure the importance of local fitness facilities is recognised in every constituency across the UK.