BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise, recently celebrated Portsmouth100 with a series of fun and engaging group exercise classes across BH Live Active leisure centres, encouraging visitors and local residents to get active, connect, and enjoy the benefits of movement.

Portsmouth100 marks the centenary of Portsmouth being granted city status. Led by Portsmouth City Council, the year-long programme features a wide range of events, from civic ceremonies and cultural showcases to community-led activities, inviting residents, businesses, and organisations to celebrate the city’s heritage and look forward to the future.

As part of the celebrations, BH Live’s community sports team recently delivered a series of themed group exercise classes designed to inspire participation and promote healthier lifestyles.

From high-energy group workouts to beginner-friendly classes, BH Live Active teams welcomed hundreds of participants keen to get involved.

Highlights included:

• Aqua 100 – a fun AquaFit group exercise class that brought 100 participants into Mountbatten Leisure Centre’s main pools for an energising, refreshing workout.
• Badminton 100 – an exciting community event that encouraged participants to keep their shuttlecocks flying for 100 minutes at Wimbledon Park Sports Centre.
• Plus a month long fitness event in the Pyramids Centre gym that challenged participants to complete a 100 rep circuit, with Portsmouth-themed exercises:
• Spinnaker Squats (21 reps) for the Spinnaker Tower’s 21 viewing decks.
• Dockyard Deadlifts (20 reps) for the city’s proud naval dockyard history.
• Gangway Jumps (10 reps) for the 10 historic ships and attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
• Victory Press-Ups (31 reps) for HMS Victory’s 31 miles of rigging.
• Gunwharf Burpees (10 reps) for Gunwharf’s 10 original naval storehouses.
• Clarence Core (8 sit-ups) marking Clarence Pier’s 8 decades of fun since 1932.

These classes placed a strong emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that everyone felt welcome, regardless of experience or fitness background. Many sessions were specifically tailored to support individuals taking their first steps into physical activity, as well as those looking to re-engage with their health and wellbeing.

Following the success and popularity of these sessions, BH Live is planning to return with a new fun community event, The Pompey Games, in September 2026 delivered in partnership with Portsmouth Seekers Create at the Mountbatten Leisure Centre.

Set to take place on Saturday 12 September, more information about the event will be shared soon.

BH Live operates BH Live Active health and wellbeing facilities across the city on behalf of Portsmouth City Council, supporting residents to lead healthier, more active lives.

On behalf of BH Live, Carla Earle, Community Sports Manager, shared;

“It’s been fantastic to see so many people getting involved in our group fitness sessions. We’ve welcomed lots of new faces, and Portsmouth100 has given us a great opportunity to connect with more people across the community.

These sessions really show that being active can be enjoyable, inclusive, and accessible for everyone.”

BH Live is committed to inspiring more people to improve their health and wellbeing by moving more regularly and reducing barriers to physical activity through health and wellbeing initiatives, concessions, and more.

Health and wellbeing initiatives in Portsmouth include group exercise classes for specialist conditions such as COPD, Parkinson’s, stroke rehab, as well as sessions such as walking football, walking netball, SEND swimming, and much more.

For more information about BH Live’s health and wellbeing programmes, visit bhliveactive.org.uk/health-and-wellbeing-activities.

For more information about Portsmouth100, visit visitportsmouth.co.uk/portsmouth-100/things-to-do.

For more information about BH Live, visit bhlive.org.uk.