A NEW outdoor facility to keep people fit and healthy gets its official launch today.

The £43,000 green gym at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth has been made possible by a lottery grant.

Offering people an outdoor alternative to a conventional gym, the green gym consists of 21 pieces of equipment around a 2km trail that is free to use.

It has been in place for a while but will be declared open today.

Doing the honours will be the Deputy Mayor of Weymouth and Portland Graham Winter assisted by sisters Emma and Isobelle Betts, whose mum Bridget was instrumental in getting the gym built.

As project co-ordinator for the Friends of Lodmoor Country Park she worked with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s parks section to secure the grant.

The friends are also hosting a launch party from 2pm to 4.30pm and residents are invited to attend to find out more about the gym.

Health and fitness expert Andy Sloan will be providing demonstrations there will also be other family activities.

Mrs Betts said: “The very positive comments I’ve received from residents about the green gym and the amount of people already using the equipment just proves how vital the provision of this facility is for our borough.

“The apparatus is suitable for all age ranges and abilities, is open all year round and, most importantly, it’s free to use.”

She added: “I’d like to thank the borough council’s parks officer Tara Gooding for her support.

“I’d also like to thank Caroline Sharp, land-form landscape architects, who managed the project.”

The grant came from a project called Community Spaces, part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces initiative.

Parks manager Carl Dallison said: “Without the effort and determination of Bridget this project would never have come to fruition so we are incredibly grateful to her for sacrificing so much of her valuable free time to put the bid together.”

He added: “The usage of the country park is increasing all the time as residents, organisations and families become aware and, in turn, make full use of the new gym, children’s pirate’s ship play area and, the latest addition, of a children’s green gym.”

The opening will take place at 2pm by the new pirate’s ship play area.