It's more than bricks and mortar, Bo'ness Recreation Centre is a lifeline

That's certainly the case for members of Active Forth’s cardio, fitness and aqua classes, which have been an integral part of the centre for the past 15 years.

Devastated by the planned closure on May 3, several members are also leading the Save Bo’ness Reccy Campaign.

While Active Forth classes are held at other centres in the Falkirk district, capacity and transport issues are already weighing heavy on Bo’ness members’ minds.

Among their number is Scott Russell, whose fellow members jokingly call him the “poster boy” of Active Forth after he featured in several articles extolling its virtues.

Scott spent 41 years working for Falkirk Council as a maintenance joiner before he had to take early retiement due to ill health.

Heart disease saw Scott have bypass surgery at Edinburgh Royal in 2014. Sadly, he remained unwell and, a year later, he was introduced to Active Forth while being rehabilitated in hospital.

He was referred for classes at the recreation centre and started getting into much better shape; they ultimately saved his life.

Scott (65) explained: “I had a cardiac arrest at home in December 2016. I knew I was going into VF so my wife Lorna called 999 and paramedics were there just as I went down.”

Having been rushed to Forth Valley Royal Hospital, dad-of-three Scott was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Scott said: “I was awake when they fitted the device and they told me I was the only patient they’d seen who’d survived that particular kind of cardiac arrest.

“The consultant said I survived because I was so fit. Had it not been for my Active Forth classes, I would have been a goner.”

Scott attends four classes a week at the recreation centre; he doesn’t drive and is already worried about how he’s going to keep his fitness levels up when it closes.

He added: “It’s a two hour round bus trip to Grangemouth and back and a 15 minute walk from the bus stop to the class – assuming they have capacity. Many of their classes are already over-subscribed.

“I suffer from anxiety and it’s through the roof just now; fitness saved my life but with the Bo’ness classes going it’s a real worry.”

Fellow Active Forth member Christine Somerville has also relied on the classes.

Following an accident in December 2011, a month later she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Having been given a life-limiting diagnosis, Christine decided to go on a regime of trial drugs.

While she’s still alive today as a result, the drugs – combined with injuries she suffered in the accident – left her unable to work or drive.

Having worked as a hospitality and events manager, Christine’s independence and social life were impacted, in addition to her health.

Her husband Scott’s then employers, BT, were incredibly supportive, providing a care package to work his shifts round Christine’s needs, but there were days where she was very isolated.

Christine (61) said: “I'd gone from speaking to more than 100 people each day to maybe just speaking to Scott. My independence and health had already been impacted but my mental health was not good either.

“I said I couldn’t go on like that; the doctor referred me to Active Forth at the end of 2012. There are a lot of people in Bo’ness who don’t see another soul from daybreak to bedtime. There's always someone to pass the time of day with at the centre.”

While Christine has been able to drive for the last three seizure-free years, her condition is reviewed on a yearly basis and, still receiving treatment, her licence could be revoked again.

She added: “I might not always have my car and the centre is still my lifeline – I’m there four times a week.

“The classes are always busy and members are like family now; it's ripping us apart. We’re all worried about capacity and transport issues, given how poor the bus service is.”

Robert Stuart, who has campaigned for the rec centre since closure was first mooted, is also a member.

Born and bred in Bo'ness, he worked all over the globe in the electronics industry before ill health saw him retire to his home town in 2002.

Robert (65) said: “I was referred to Active Forth 10 years ago, primarily for weight management but I also have kidney disease and a dodgy back.

“The classes helped immensely but I noticed during Covid, despite having equipment in the house, my health started suffering again because I wasn’t going to the classes and didn’t have the same motivation.

“Being part of the group gives you that motivation – for a lot of people it’s their reason for getting up and out of the house every day. We’ve bonded socially too.”

Save Bo’ness Reccy Campaign has launched a fresh petition, calling for the closure to be stopped which has already gathered more than 1000 signatures.

To lend your support, visit www.change.org/p/halt-the-immediate-planned-closure-of-bo-ness-recreation-centre-on-3rd-may-2024.