FANS (Free Access to National Sport) 

What is FANS?  

The FANS scheme provides sportspeople of a national level with free access to sports facilities in Wandsworth. FANS aims to assist elite athletes including those with disabilities, to achieve their full potential by reducing the financial burden of training costs.

Members are invited from any sporting discipline recognised by Sport England.

Fourteen leisure facilities are involved in the scheme including leisure and recreation centres, swimming pools, gyms, athletics tracks, tennis courts and a range of other specialist indoor and outdoor facilities.

Eligibility  

FANS aims to help all of Wandsworth’s elite sports people who compete at a national level. To be eligible for the scheme you must demonstrate that you are:

*A current national sportsperson, (“national” is deemed as either a member of the national team or ranked in the top ten).

*A resident for the majority of the year in Wandsworth

Supporting evidence from your governing body will be required upon application (e.g. a letter inviting you to a competition, or competition results within the last 12 months)

How FANS works  

For an annual administration fee (Please see below for current charges) members of FANS are entitled to use Places Leisure and Enable managed centres listed here. You only need to list one Leisure Centre and one Enable Facility to gain access to all of them. These two venues will be deemed your “home” centres where you will need to do your gym inductions (if required) and to collect your membership cards from.

Each FANS centre varies in what it offers members and some impose restrictions on facilities and times they can be used free of charge. The following facilities are available through Places Leisure:

• Balham Leisure Centre
• Latchmere Leisure Centre
• Putney Leisure Centre
• Roehampton Sport and Fitness Centre
• Tooting Bec Lido
• Tooting Leisure Centre
• Wandle Recreation Centre

Apply now!

Core FANS Membership Offer 

Gym/Classes/Swimming Pool/Athletics Track can be used an unlimited amount of times during regular opening hours of the facility attended. Coaches/Trainers are allowed to attend the training session with the FANS member for coaching purposes only, they are not allowed to participate in the session.

Supplementary FANS Membership Offer 

Access to booking an activity area related to the FANS member’s sport.  Coaches/Trainers are allowed to attend the training session with the FANS member for coaching purposes only, they are not allowed to participate in the session. Must be booked in advance and at the discretion of the site manager so as not to interrupt regular club or session bookings.

Discount rate of 10% for booking other activity areas not based on FANS member’s sport and their coach led training. Subject to availability and the site managers discretion so as not to disrupt regular club or session bookings. e.g. The FANS member is a track athlete and regularly uses the track and the gym but would like to play recreational tennis on occasion, hire of the court would be available at the 10% discounted rate. FANS members must always be in attendance at the sessions and all other participants would need to pay.

Charges

Application Process

If you are interested in becoming a FANS member please complete the application form here and return it to active@enablelc.org along with proof of residence in Wandsworth (utility bill, council tax statement, bank statement etc) and your selection letter or competition results.

If you are renewing your FANS membership you are still required to complete the form and provide the items detailed above.

If you have any queries please drop an email to active@enablelc.org

How to Pay 

Once your application has been received and verified Enable will contact you to take payment over the phone.

“The cost of track, gym and pool access really adds up when you are using the facilities twice per day. Access to the FANS scheme means that I never have to think of the financial cost to train – I can use the gym to do my small rehab / physio sessions without worrying about whether I have justified the entry fee. FANS is a fantastic program that has made a huge difference to my training and performance as an elite athlete.”

Rose Harvey GB Olympian at 2020 Tokyo Olympics – Marathon Runner