Welcome to Abbeyleix Vitality Hub
The Abbeyleix Vitality Hub is a community initiative set up to help increase participation in sports and physical activity in the local area.
Take a look at the Activities page to see the various activities on offer.
Please help shape our Community Vitality Hub in Abbeyleix and answer a few short questions.
Launch of Abbeyleix Vitality Hub
Thank you to everyone who attended our launch on Sunday 28th April, it was a fabulous sunny morning in Fr. Breen Park in Abbeyleix.
Speakers at the launch included Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Caroline Myers, CEO of Laois Sports Partnership, Garry Luttrell, Treasurer of the Hub Committee and Liz Kennedy, Co-ordinator for Abbeyleix Vitality Hub.
Abbeyleix Vitality Hub was officially launched by Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Caroline Myers, CEO of Laois Sports Partnership, John Thompson Chair of the Hub Committee and Fr. Breen Park Development Committee.
Local trainers attending the launch included Chris from Abbey Pilates, Margaret from Bee-ing Me Mindfully, Liam & Michelle from Fit Life Laois, Loretta Hipwell along with Sports & Holistic Therapist, Eleanor Merriman and Paula Byrne on Zen Fem. Outside in the sun, Moez Toumi took dancers of all ages through their paces on the Astro pitch and Laurence Robertson re-introduced many attendees to tennis while Stephen Hunter showed the benefits of using the Outdoor Gym equipment.
About Us
What is the Abbeyleix Vitality Hub?
The Abbeyleix Vitality Hub will be a collection of progressive sports clubs and other local organisations that will continue to work together to improve sport and physical activity awareness and opportunities in their local community.
The Hub will provide information, support and advice on a wide range of sports and physical activities to make it easier for people in disadvantaged areas to engage in a more active lifestyle. The hub will continue to develop and strengthen linkages between the community, sports clubs and other physical activity groups.
Abbeyleix Vitality Hub will be a site-based Hub providing training & opportunities for the wider Abbeyleix area to participate in sport & physical activities along with wellness activities. The Hub will be supported by a number of partners in the Abbeyleix area, many already active on the facility.
Laois Sports Partnership, who have had the positive experience of supporting other Community Hubs in the county, will oversee & support the Hub & its partners to put a sustainable structure in place.
The following are a sample of the programmes and initiatives facilitated in the Hub:
- Coaching opportunities and coach development/pathway programmes
- Disability Awareness Training / Disability Inclusion Training for coaches and leaders
- Programmes targeted at older people (active living, ‘Go for Life’)
- Programmes targeted at disadvantaged youth
- Programmes targeted at people with physical and intellectual disabilities.
- Social sports and recreation programmes for women and for men.
- Programmes focused on young women and girls that target reducing the drop out in sport and physical activity in adolescent girls.
- Programmes focused on nutrition and well-being
- Online Information Hub on dedicated Hub social media platforms
Why has this project been established?
There is huge potential to develop the opportunities for sports and physical activities & wellness activities at the Hub site given its long history of providing a unique multi use, co-location facility for public recreation, sport activities in the area.
The need for a Hub of this type has been identified and put forward as a recommendation in the Fr. Breen Park Smart Development Plan. It is based on the results of the consultation process, desk research and review of other multi-purpose sports facilities and community hubs elsewhere across the Country.
Laois Sports Partnership are providing support and funding over the next 5 years for this project.
When will the initiative be implemented?
The Abbeyleix Vitality Hub and a management team were established in 2024. The management team report to the Abbeyleix Park Development Committee. Pending the recruitment of a part-time co-ordinator, key activities will commence from March 2024 onwards.
Funded by
