Social Impact Day - Bannan Fitness Group Coatbridge
29 August 2025
August 2025 - Amey Employees Provide Community Assistance to Local Gym in Kirkwood Coatbridge
On Friday 29th August 2025, four highways’ operatives from Armey's M8DBFO Contract based at Polmadie Depot in Glasgow, spent their social impact day (SID) removing brambles, litter, trimming foliage, scalping overgrown & silted footpaths, clearing a fire escape route and repairing concrete stairs, outside Bannan Fitness Group’s gym in Cuparhead Avenue, Coatbridge. The fitness group, run by Pat Bannan for over 17 years, previously operated from the Janet Hamilton Centre in Langloan, Coatbridge for over 7 years, before this asset was closed permanently in 2023, by North Lanarkshire Council. Bannan Fitness Group’s subsequent attempts to obtain the Langloan venue as part of a community asset transfer, was later rejected by the local authority. Bannan’s gym was temporarily set up for a few years at various centres around Coatbridge, where it continued to flourish, catering for all age groups from new born babies through to senior citizens, including those with special physical and mental needs. In 2024, Pat Bannan, along with others in the local community, helped acquire the ‘Old Monkland Library’ premises, after their gym’s base, over the last 2 years, remained uncertain. The Bannan Fitness Group, a registered charity, requested help from the Amey volunteers, who were delighted to step in and freshen up and repair the outside areas of the fitness centre. They have improve the surroundings and have give it a more appealing look for regular gym users and visitors to the area.
Rab Potter, one of the Amey volunteers, is a fitness trainer at the gym and was delighted, along with a few of his work colleagues, to be able help this local charity and fitness group. He stated:
‘On behalf of Bannan Fitness Group, I’d like to thank Amey for allowing my workmates and I to use our social impact day to carry out general repairs and a tidy up of the outside of the building. It helps keep the building and curtilage safe, as the gym provides a great service for the health & wellbeing of residents of all ages in North Lanarkshire. It is a great space for keeping fit, socialising and meeting up with friends. Bannan Fitness Group is funded by its gym users and needs all the help it can get from local businesses and other groups able to provide our charity with some much needed sponsorship. This has been a massive undertaking for our gym members and volunteers, moving to a different venue again, so we really appreciate Amey allowing us during our normal working hours, to assist with this project.‘
Ends.