Tower Hamlets Swimming Gala makes a return after six-year break
A long-running borough-wide swimming competition has ended a six-year hiatus today (12 June), as school children from across Tower Hamlets came together to celebrate swimming, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
The Tower Hamlets School Swimming Gala, which has a history stretching over six decades, dived back into action at York Hall Leisure Centre on Thursday with 140 pupils from nine local primary schools competing across 16 races, including backstroke, front crawl, breaststroke, butterfly and relay races.
The participating schools include Culloden, St Mary’s & St Michael’s, St John’s, The Aldgate School, Faraday, Globe, St Paul’s & St Luke’s, Manorfield, and Olga Primary Schools.
A huge congratulations to Olga Primary School, who were crowned overall winners of this year’s gala.
The event was supported by the Tower Hamlets Sports Development Team and Bethnal Green Sharks Swimming Club.
The gala plays a role in helping to identify and support outstanding local talent, with winners being offered the opportunity to train with Sharks Swimming Club – creating a pathway to regional, national, and international success.
Previously held at St George’s Leisure Centre and run by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council until 2004, the event was then organised by GLL Better until 2019, when it was paused due to the pandemic.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, who along with Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, presented medals and certificates to winners, said:
“I’m really pleased to see the return of the School Swimming Gala which is a fantastic celebration of sport, determination, and young talent in our borough.
“Bringing our leisure services back in-house means that we’re now better placed to support young swimmers through events like this, which helps to nurture confidence, build friendships, and spark ambition, while also making our leisure services more inclusive and accessible with opportunities for every child to thrive.
“I congratulate every participant for their incredible effort.”
Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said:
“This gala is about more than just races, it’s about giving every child the chance to shine, be active and feel proud of their achievements.
“We’re committed to keeping sport and physical activity accessible for all, and I’m thrilled to see this tradition return stronger than ever.”
Kick it with Be Well Ballers Football courses ⚽
We’re thrilled to introduce our exciting football courses for kids aged 2–12, designed to build confidence, develop skills, and have loads of fun on the pitch! Whether your child is taking their first steps in football or already a little superstar, our sessions provide a welcoming and engaging environment to grow, play, and thrive.
📅 Every Wednesday at Mile End Park Leisure Centre and Stadium
🌟 Join anytime – sessions run throughout the year!
⚽ Just £35 per month for non-stop football fun!
We have the following age groups:
|
Age Group |
Location |
Lesson Length |
|
Baby Ballers: 2 – 5 year olds |
Indoor sports hall |
45 minutes |
|
Little Ballers: 6 – 8 year olds |
Outdoor pitches |
1 hour |
|
Junior Ballers 9 -12 year olds |
Outdoor pitches |
1 hour |
Be Well Summer 2025 Holiday Club
28th July- 28th August 2025
Mile End Park Leisure Centre and Stadium
Our Summer Holiday Club is back for 2025!
Calling all 5-15 year olds! Looking for something to keep the kids active and healthy this summer holiday? Then look no further than our Summer Holiday Club at Mile End Park Leisure Centre and Stadium.
The summer holidays are fast approaching so if you’re looking to help your child burn off some energy during the holiday, or help them discover their new favourite sport or hobby, we’re here to help!
Our all-day Summer Holiday Club has plenty of activities to help your children make the most of their free time and will be taking place from 28th July to 28th August, every Monday to Thursday*, between 9am-5pm. It only costs £23.30 per child, per day.
*Please note there won’t be a holiday club on Monday 25th August 2025 due to the bank holiday.
Each day will be packed with fun activities from sports to arts and crafts, helping your child to make the most of their summer holidays. Some activities on offer are:
- Swimming
- Athletics
- Gymnastics
- Trampolining
- Football
- Tennis
- Arts & Crafts
- Bouncy Castles
- ……and lots lots more.
We understand how important it is to introduce your child to a healthy and active lifestyle. That’s why our Holiday Club offers a perfect balance of exercise, activity, fun, socialising, interaction and engagement.
Our friendly, qualified staff are on hand to supervise and help make everyone safe and included.
Bookings are now open – check out our availability!
To book, click ‘Book now’ and select Mile End as your location and then select ‘Holiday club’.
Please note, our funded places are now full.
Whitechapel Doubles Badminton Tournament – 30th June 2025
Now sold out!!
After the success of our February doubles badminton tournament, we’re running another one!
Grab your badminton partner and tap into your competitive spirit with our Doubles Badminton tournament at Whitechapel Sports Centre.
Suitable for skills level E and D (Badminton England skill grading)
When: Monday 30th June 2025 6pm-10pm.
Cost: £30 per team.
Trophy and prizes available for the winners!
Samarth’s swimming success at London Para Youth Games 🏊
🎉🏅 A golden moment for Samarth! 🏅🎉
Huge congratulations to Samarth, who triumphed at the London Para Youth Games, winning gold in the 25m front crawl for children with hearing impairments! Competing in his first-ever swimming gala on 15th May, he showed incredible skill and determination.
Samarth has been coached by Mark Gilby, our dedicated Be Well Swim Well teacher, for the past 2 years and has been swimming since he was 4 years old. To honour his achievement, Tower Hamlets’ Mayor Lutfur Rahman presented him with his gold medal, accompanied by Jackie Ayres (Be Well Swim Well swimming lead), Steve Halsey (Tower Hamlets Chief Executive), Councillor Kamrul Hussain and Shuhel Malique (Mayor’s Advisor for Sports, Wellbeing and Youth) and his proud parents.
With his gold medal as inspiration, Samarth now plans to join a swimming club, start competitive swimming and aim even higher! 🌊🏊♂️
This is just the beginning—well done, Samarth! 🎉
Be Well celebrates one year of health, wellbeing and impact
One year ago, Be Well, Tower Hamlets Council’s leisure service, opened its doors with the aim to make health and wellbeing more accessible, affordable, and community-driven for residents across the borough.
The service launched in May 2024 following the end of the council’s contract with GLL (Better), with the goal of supporting holistic health and wellbeing, increasing participation in physical activity, and creating inclusive environments for all – placing a particular focus on improving access for women and girls, older adults, and residents at risk of, or living with, long-term conditions.
Over the past 12 months, Be Well has delivered a range of health and wellbeing services, with thousands of residents engaging in activities across its leisure centres.
Community participation
In its first year, Be Well achieved:
- 37,277 memberships taken up with Be Well, with a gender split of 18% male and 82% female
- 485,379 visits were recorded across Be Well leisure centres (excluding users of outdoor spaces)
- 57,396 classes were booked by local residents and members
- 3,019 people are taking swimming lessons with Be Well Swim Well
- 12 community events were delivered to support inclusion and engagement
- 158 birthday parties were hosted across centres
- 19,150 free swimming memberships taken up with women and girls ages 16 and over and men aged 55 and above across the borough, helping to remove barriers to accessing physical activity
- The introduction of swimming buddies at selected centres to improve swimming technique for women and girls, with the option of taking up free swimming lessons
- A complete refurbishment of the spa at York Hall, newly rebranded Be Well The Spa, to elevate wellbeing experiences
- Over 150 local residents trained and qualified as lifeguards through the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ)
Looking ahead
Building on this foundation, Be Well is preparing for another year of investment and impact, including:
- Upgrades to outdoor pitches at Mile End, with work beginning in June 2025.
- Improvements across centres including reconfigured women-only gyms at Poplar and Mile End, enhanced health suites at Whitechapel and Mile End, upgrades to changing village at Mile End and water inflatables across centres with a pool.
- Ongoing offers and prizes – including monthly discounts and offers at Be Well The Spa and the chance to win the first-ever Be Well membership card 001, which comes with a full year of free membership.
Reflecting on the first year, Cllr Mohammed Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “Our first year has been about more than just getting people moving – it’s been about building community, providing opportunity, and listening to what our residents need.
“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together so far, and we’re committed to continuing this progress by offering high-quality, inclusive services that help everyone in the borough lead healthier, happier lives.”
Be Well will continue evolving in the year ahead, with further improvements to its facilities, programming, and outreach – ensuring even more people can benefit from its growing offer.
New badminton memberships for fairer, more affordable access
From 1 June 2025, Be Well will be serving up two new best-value badminton memberships as part of a pilot initiative to make access to physical activity fairer, more affordable, and more inclusive for residents across the borough.
This new offer follows direct feedback from local residents and existing members, alongside a thorough review of how courts were previously booked. We identified a need for clearer processes and improved transparency to ensure more equitable access for all.
Memberships will be available to purchase from 1 June 2025.
Your new membership options
- Be Well Monthly Badminton Membership
Enjoy up to 8 sessions per month for just £49 – that’s only £6.13 per session. - Be Well 50-Session Badminton Membership
Get 50 sessions to use over 12 months for £299 – only £5.98 per session.
Members can book either a 40 or 60-minute session based on personal preference and availability.
Terms and conditions
- The new memberships will run under a pilot project from 1 June 2025.
- Members must book sessions online, via the app, or in person using their membership details.
- Bookings can be made up to 14 days in advance.
- A photo will be added to each member’s profile to verify their identity.
- Membership cards must be left at reception upon entry and collected when leaving.
- Members must present valid ID when requested by staff.
- Subletting will result in a 12-month ban and loss of membership fees.
Women’s Only Self Defence classes
Empower Yourself with Our Women and Girls Self-Defence Class
Safety, confidence, and strength start with the right tools and knowledge! We’re excited to invite women and girls aged 11+ to our Women and Girls Self-Defence Class at Tiller Leisure Centre every Saturday from 26th April.
This empowering class is led by the amazing Dominique and is designed to make you feel safe and confident. It’s a unique opportunity to learn practical skills in a supportive all-female environment.
Key Details:
- When: Saturdays, 12:15-1:00pm from 26th April 2025
- Where: Tiller Leisure Centre (studio)
- Who: Women and girls aged 11+ (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult)
Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence, learn life-saving skills, or simply try something new, this class is for YOU.
Join us, and let’s build a community of empowered women together.
Book via the Be Well app or website.
Easter 2025 Bank Holiday hours
Our Be Well centres will have different opening hours due to the Easter Bank Holidays 🐣
Please see below to find out the opening hours for each Be Well Centre.
Mile End Leisure Centre and Stadium
Friday 18th April: 09:00 – 21:00
Saturday 19th April: 08:00 – 18:00
Sunday 20th April: 08:00 – 18:00
Monday 21st April 09:00 – 21:00
John Orwell Sports Centre
Friday 18th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday 19th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Sunday 20th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Monday 21st April 09:00 – 17:00
Whitechapel Sports Centre
Friday 18th April: 08:00 – 16:00
Saturday 19th April: 08:00 – 16:00
Sunday 20th April: 08:00 – 16:00
Monday 21st April: 08:00 – 16:00
Poplar Baths Leisure Centre and Gym
Friday 18th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday 19th April: 08:00 – 17:00
Sunday 20th April: 08:00 – 17:00
Monday 21st April: 09:00 – 17:00
Tiller Leisure Centre
Friday 18th April: 08:00 – 16:00
Saturday 19th April: 08:00 – 17:00
Sunday 20th April: 08:00 – 17:00
Sunday 21st April: 08:00 – 16:00
York Hall Leisure Centre
Friday 18th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday 19th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Sunday 20th April: 09:00 – 17:00
Monday 21st April: 09:00 – 17:00