Builders’ merchants break a sweat and win Active Luton Healthy Workplace award

Staff at Gibbs & Dandy have been swapping work boots for sports trainers to enjoy daily workouts in their new in-house gym, created from a disused storeroom.

The team won an enhanced level award, and was visited by Active Luton – a council-run set of gyms that meet local businesses to see how healthy workplaces are encouraged.

It is funded by the European Social Fund as part of the Luton community-led Local Development project, and provides a framework to help Luton employers make a commitment to employee wellbeing. It is free to those companies taking part.

Stuart Harm, Luton branch manager, said: “Everyone at the branch is very proud to have won the Healthy Workplace Award. We went straight in for the big award and it’s great to say we have been successful.

“It’s a fantastic endorsement of the team’s motivation to get the in-house gym up and running and how they have embraced this project.

“I am a big fitness fan, so this has been a dream of mine for the past few years. I truly believe that exercise can improve everyone’s wellbeing, even if it is just getting the heart rate up for 10 minutes a day.

“It’s great to see my colleagues discussing how energised they feel after their work outs and we now have an award for all our efforts.”

The gym is open every day from 6.30am until 5pm and until 6pm, three times a week.

The branch is pleased to offer the gym facilities to customers for a small charge, which helps towards the upkeep and purchase of equipment.