Reading residents can try their hand at Taekwondo, diving, and basketball without spending a penny when the National Sports Open Weekend returns to the town’s Better leisure centres on 18 and 19 July. Rivermead Leisure Centre joins South Reading, Meadway, and Palmer Park in laying on a packed schedule of Commonwealth Games-inspired activities for all ages and abilities, with no membership required.
GLL, the charitable social enterprise that runs Reading’s Better centres, has organised the weekend in partnership with Team England. Saturday’s programme at Rivermead includes Thames Valley Pro Taekwondo, adult swimming lessons, strength and conditioning, and a basketball taster session with the Reading Rockets. Sunday brings gym taster sessions and an Albatross Diving display followed by a dry dive taster. Steph Smith, community sports manager for GLL in Reading, said the aim was to give local people the chance to try something new for free. “Whether you’ve always wanted to learn a new sport, get back into exercise or simply enjoy an active day out with family and friends, there’s something for everyone across the weekend,” she added. While all activities are free, organisers warn that places on some sessions are limited and must be booked through the Better UK app or website.
Rivermead Leisure Centre, which reopened as a flagship development after a £40 million reinvestment into Reading’s leisure facilities, has hosted similar community events in the past, including a health and wellbeing gathering last month. The other three venues stretch the offer further across town: South Reading will put on a Foundation Swim School water safety session that Saturday, while Meadway and Palmer Park will each run their own rosters of taster activities. Creating a free online account is the only step needed to secure a spot for the weekend.
GLL took over management of Reading’s leisure centres from the borough council in 2017, and the open weekend has become a fixture in the town’s summer calendar. The partnership with Team England ties the taster sessions directly to the build-up for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, giving families a concrete, zero-cost way to stay active during the school break.
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