The overnight train and ferry took us to the remote Shetland Islands, the furthest north part of the UK.  The many centres there are financed by a fund set up from Oil Money, paid to the islanders when a large terminal was built to handle North Sea Oil.  It is remarkable that the Shetland people decided to spend this money on a chain of excellent Leisure Centres, bringing popular exercise facilities, including swimming pools, to the people of even the smaller islands, several of which have a population of under 1000.

See the website at http://www.srt.org.uk/

CHIP project

Travelling south, we reached Kilmarnock, not far from Glasgow, where a large custom-built mobile unit goes to the people, especially in smaller and deprived communities. Everyone over 16 is invited to have a free medical checkup, and those in need are advised to visit their doctor and start an exercise programme where appropriate at a community fitness centre, such as the Galleon Centre in Kilmarnock.