Now in its third year, the UK’s largest physical activity trade event is returning next month bigger and better than ever, this time with its inaugural conference. We take a look at what’s in store for delegates

Elevate, the largest physical activity trade event in the UK, returns to ExCel London on 9-10 May 2018. This year’s show will also run alongside COPA Series and the Elite Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Expo; attracting an audience of over 8,000 purchasers, specifiers and potential partners.

THOUGHT LEADERS CONFERENCE
With growing support from the industry, organisers of the trade show have invested this year in creating an inaugural Elevate Conference, sponsored by MINDBODY. The conference will cover subjects that range from social prescribing and active urban design, through to digital disruption and community-wide behaviour change initiatives. The goal is to facilitate bigger picture thinking that can unleash the full power of the physical activity sector as a force for good in society.

Thought leaders from a variety of sectors include MP Tracey Crouch, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Civil Society, Sir Muir Gray, Dr Michael Mosley, This Girl Can architect Tanya Joseph, World Health Organisation’s Alana Officer, National Obesity Forum’s spokesperson Tam Fry, NHS England’s clinical lead for social prescribing Michael Dixon GP, Sport England’s strategic lead of campaigns Kate Dale and Parkwood Leisure’s managing director, Peter Fitzboydon.

During the conference, Steve Ward, chief executive of ukactive, will chair a session on unleashing the potential of the sporting economy, with speakers including Andrew Honeyman, head of sport at Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Tara Dillon, chief executive at CIMSPA; and Robert Cook, managing director UK at Virgin Active.

Ward comments: “If we’re going to get more people, more active, more often, and improve the health of the nation, we need the broadest possible coalition of partners; public sector, private sector and third sector working together, and that’s what Elevate is all about.”

SEMINARS
In addition to the new two-day conference, the seminar programme continues to develop, and this year will include four streams: Physical Activity for Health and Wellbeing; Strategies for an Active Nation; The Business of Physical Activity; and Performance: Maximising Potential.
In total, the programme includes 40 free-to-attend seminar sessions with over 230 leading speakers, representing such organisations as: Department of Health, GLL, World Health Organisation, NHS England, Sport England, ukactive, Virgin Active, parkrun, DCMS, Macmillan Cancer Research, David Lloyd Clubs, England Athletics, Places for People, England & Wales Cricket Board and British Gas.

In the business stream, one seminar will consider how operators can ‘create an experience’ for customers with new and exciting ways to exercise – both in and out of the gym – in groups and families. Mark Learnihan, business development and partnership director of Active Nation, along with Ariana Alexander-Sefre from Sweat and Sound and Kevin Yates, co-founder and CEO of TRIB3, will explore ways in which the fitness industry can stay ahead of the curve, delivering the ‘experience’ customers are seeking.

Ariana comments: “We believe that experiences are like art; they should comfort those who seek answers and provoke those who think they don’t. In wellness, this is particularly true, as we have so many possible avenues to become fitter, healthier and happier, therefore, offering more options to people is a fantastic thing. With so many professionals offering unique things, there are infinite opportunities to make consumer experiences deeper and more meaningful. We just need to work together and collaborate as much as possible.”

EXHIBITION
During Elevate the growing exhibition takes centre stage, with over 200 leading suppliers showcasing the latest innovations designed to help operators get the nation moving. Exhibitors include Matrix, Clubright, Core Health & Fitness, eGym, Gerflor, Gympass, Jordan Fitness, Power2SMS, Total Gym, Willmott Dixon and Xn Leisure.

Elevate will provide the platform for SWIMTAG to officially launch a series of exciting new challenge features. Kieran Sloyan, managing director at 222 Sports, developers of SWIMTAG, says: “We’re really looking forward to Elevate this year. Last year the show connected us with several new partners, so we’re hoping for a similar level of engagement this year.

“It’s the perfect environment for us to showcase our new innovations. This year we’ll be officially launching our new challenge features that will enable operators to organise internet-based team battles across multiple locations.”

Total Gym will be showcasing their range of adaptable gym equipment for the first time in the UK, while SportsArt will introduce two new models to their ECO-POWER and ECO-NATURAL lines including VERDE, the only energy-producing treadmill in the industry, and the new N685 non-motorised, completely self-powered treadmill, which allows walking, jogging, running, sprinting or sled-pushing.

Matrix will help gyms take HIIT to the next level with their S-Force Performance Trainer, which combines a motion and magnetic resistance system to automatically increase the intensity, the harder the user trains.

AWARDS
A popular addition to last year’s show, the Elevate Innovation Awards return in 2018 to recognise the best products and services in defined categories, linking to the show’s themes of inclusivity, performance, health and wellbeing, and business. Judged by a panel of industry experts, the five categories are: Best Health and Wellness Innovation; Best Workout Innovation; Best Facility Innovation; Best Innovation for Human Performance; and Best Start-up.

Commenting on the show’s huge success in its first two years, Max Quittenton, founder and director of Elevate, says: “We’re incredibly proud of the support and contributions that so many passionate and knowledgeable professionals make to Elevate each year.

“For all the right reasons, tackling physical inactivity remains the shared goal of all those involved; speakers, judges, exhibitors, press, organisers and attendees. Put simply, Elevate 2018 is unrivalled as the best opportunity of the year to learn more about the whole subject of physical activity.”

He continues: “All the latest innovations and products that have been created to help increase physical activity are under one roof, but that’s not the end of the story. The entirely free-to-attend information programme, networking opportunities and unrivalled collection of leading exhibitors all help make Elevate the must-attend event for thousands of leading gym operators, policy makers, leisure centres, public health specialists, physiotherapists, sport scientists, GPs, PTs, sports coaches, hoteliers, schools and universities, sports clubs, local authorities, retailers, spas and many more. We look forward to seeing you all at ExCeL London this May.”