Facility Awards
Entrants must be a private Health Club that has been operating for at least 24 months by 1st February 2019.
Equipment standards, size and range of your facilities will be considered in this category. We will be assessing what makes you unique from other gyms, with a strong focus on marketing, customer service, retention and innovation.
We are not looking for the most significant gym or the most expensive equipment. We are looking for a facility that has the energy, passion and commitment to creating a business which is proving to be an essential part of the community you serve.
To be considered for this category, you must submit an entry to (at least) two other categories.
The leisure centre must have in-house or contracted management, with some unrestricted pay and play access. We advise that they have been operating for at least 24 months by 1st March 2019.
We’re looking for health & fitness clubs that are at the centre of the community which offer a variety membership for all members of the community. We want to hear about how you make a difference and how your facility stands out from the rest.
Entrants must be a third level college or university facility offering health and fitness opportunities for students and the public.
We’re looking for health & fitness clubs that are at the heart of your 3rd Level Facility. Tell us how you are meeting the needs of your members, encouraging active lifestyles and promoting well being and inclusiveness throughout the campus.
Entrants must be a private Health Club. We advise that they have been operating for at least 24 months by 1st March 2019.
We are looking for a facility that offers a unique experience to its members. It could be a facility that focuses on value for money or group exercise and/or specialises merely in one or two fitness areas. If you offer a customised experience, then this is the category for you.
If your club offers a wide range of facilities such as a swimming pool, spa and sauna, together with a well-equipped gym and/or your members have access to other fitness activities such as tennis, badminton or a running club, this is the category for you.
Your organisation will stand out from all the others in this highly competitive group, perhaps because of the above-average facilities you provide for your members, your creative marketing campaigns or excellent customer service.
This category is open to facilities which are dedicated purely to the rehabilitation market and also those gyms which employ specially trained consultants to deal with medical referrals. You will be required to provide full details of the facilities you provide, the type of patients you treat and the achievements made by both your staff and patients.
If your hotel offers a wide range of gym facilities such as a fitness studio, swimming pool, spa and sauna, this is your category.
This category is open to all hotels that that have a state of the art leisure centre and/or a fully equipped gymnasium available to their guests.
Best Use of Retail Space within a health & fitness club is open to all facilities with an internal retail space from vending machines, pop up shops to dedicated shop fit-outs. Our judges are looking for facilities that demonstrate creative use of space while offering a convenient shopping experience. The retail space should offer a range of active nutritious products suitable to its members.
Are you offering innovative shopping solutions? Are you helping your users meet their fitness or performance goals? Have you seen an increase in profit through smart partnerships? Then this category is for you.
This award is aimed at new facilities that are open for less than 24 months. Your facility must have been opened after 1st March 2017.
Are you a new facility that has exceeded all expectations? Are you filling a niche for quality leisure facilities in your area or engaging a new audience in exercise?
When it comes to picking our finalists, we’ll be looking for evidence of why you set up your club, your biggest successes so far and what your plans are to build on its initial success.
We want to know what services you offer, what equipment you provide and details on how you have grown your membership. Outline the team behind the business, your marketing plans and what makes your gym stand out from the crowd.
The Operator of the Year category is open to any group operator that has three or more sites. Assessment is based on performance across the organisation.
Programme Awards
This award recognises the latest innovations in the sector that support people to become more active. Entrants could include digital innovations and technologies, new products, services and programmes that are changing the future of physical activity in Ireland.
This award recognises an organisation, project, class, programme, race or event that can demonstrate a significant positive impact on people’s lives. This event engages new audiences through outdoor physical activity in Ireland.
This award recognises a facility or organisation that is promoting inclusive health and fitness to local groups and individuals to create a more inclusive environment.
This award recognises a programme which has significantly improved the lives of young people through getting them active with a demonstrable impact/outcome.
Included in this category are gyms that provide facilities and cater for children/families – creche, family activities, children’s classes, family membership etc.
This award recognises a workplace or corporate wellness programme which has promoted wellbeing and continues to encourage its employees to lead healthy lifestyles. This could include providing a gym, activity facilities or opportunities, activity tracking, team outdoor pursuits, cycle to work schemes or workplace challenges, preferably as part of a complete health and wellbeing strategy.
This award recognises a workplace or corporate wellness programme which has promoted wellbeing and continues to encourage its employees to lead healthy lifestyles. This could include providing a gym, activity facilities or opportunities, activity tracking, team outdoor pursuits, cycle to work schemes or workplace challenges, preferably as part of a complete health and wellbeing strategy.
People Awards
This award is given to a qualified fitness professional that is committed to improving the health and fitness of their clients, in a gym based environment.
This award is given to a qualified fitness professional that is committed to improving the health and fitness of their clients, on a freelance basis.
This award is given to a qualified fitness instructor (yoga, zumba, pilates, etc) that is committed to improving the health and fitness of their clients. They can be freelance or in a gym based environment.
This award is given to an individual or professional group/body whose expert knowledge on expert has helped people reach personal and health related goals. They advise on food and healthy eating. They promote and provide outstanding guidance on a healthy living and wellbeing.
This award is given to a team that works together to create a health and fitness culture throughout the organisation. Does your team go the extra mile? Are your members engaged with the team? We want to know how you measure your team’s success.
The customer service award is given for dedication to continually improving the experience of customers in health and fitness clubs.
This accolade seeks to recognise a health and fitness leader who has shown genuine dedication to organisational excellence, promoting physical activity, raising standards and best practice within their organisation.
This award is recognising the outstanding contribution of an individual that has contributed to the health and fitness industry in Ireland and abroad. Open only for nominations (not entries).
Media Awards
This award is aimed at a fitness professional or media writer that is contributing regularly to the promotion and advocacy of health and fitness to the general public.
This category is open to organisations and their marketing agencies that deliver effective integrated health, wellness or fitness marketing campaigns through social media channels. For example, campaigns promoting product launches, fitness events or initiatives, and the promotion of activity and a healthy lifestyle.
Judges will look for evidence of post-campaign success demonstrated through quantifiable reach and impact on target audience regarding brand awareness, engagement levels and behavioural change measured against original objectives.
This award recognises a marketing campaign which promotes active lifestyles to a particular demographic or the general public. Assessment is based on the extent to which the campaign can evidence engagement with the target audience, raising awareness with the aim of increasing levels of physical activity.
All finalists facilities will be put forward to our regional People’s Choice category across Munster, Leinster, Ulster, Connacht & Dublin. The public get to decide on the winner by voting for their favourite and what they consider to the the best facility in each of the provinces. The facility with the most public votes will receive the coveted People’s Choice Award.
This category is not open for entries. Voting will commence after finalists are announced.