The winter months can be a difficult time to stick to those New Years Resolutions and health and fitness goals. It’s an important time of the year to focus on yourself, listen to your body, and look after your wellbeing. At Kent Sport, we’re all about providing opportunities for everyone to get active, whatever your goal or interests. Read on to see how Kent Sport can support you this winter.
The Kent Sport community
We are more than just a gym at Kent Sport*, we support communities of active people across the whole university and beyond with health, fitness, and wellbeing opportunities. Our members enjoy a vast number of social, competitive, and engaging activities through our unique programmes and services on campus, which are available all-year-round.
Staff across our Fitness, Sports Development, Kent Sports Clinic, and front-of-house teams are always happy to talk you through any questions or concerns you may have about using the sport and fitness facilities on campus. You don’t have to be a member to come and chat to us, our team are available during our opening hours seven days a week.
If you’re a student and you need a friendly face to talk to, or support you in joining in with Kent Sport activities, the amazing ResLife team are a group of current students who are happy to chat through any questions or concerns you may have. The ResLife Ambassadors regularly attend ALL Active sessions throughout term, so if you’re unsure about joining a session, get in touch with the team and they will be happy to support you.
*Although our large, split-level gym is well equipped with a range of cardio, weights, and functional equipment!
Winter support and activities
Term two timetables
Term two is absolutely packed with exciting sports, activities, and events to really get stuck into. Term two will run from Monday 12 January to Friday 20 March 2026.
- Group exercise timetable – a full timetable of popular group exercise classes, such as BodyPump and Zumba, and our Les Mills Virtual classes too!
- ALL Active timetable – our fun, social programme of sports and activities exclusively for staff, students, and alumni. All equipment provided, no experience necessary!
- ALL Active+ timetable – a programme of popular sports with the added benefit of sports-specific coaching included. Open to all students, staff, alumni, and members of the public.
- Active 55+ timetable – for anyone aged 55 and over, we have a unique programme of social sports and activities aimed at creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
- Vice-Chancellor’s Cup – our popular staff sport and activity tournament returns this winter! Join a department team and battle it out across a range of sports and activities, such as benchball and board games, to be crowned the VC’s Cup 2026 winner!
- One-off events – join our Sports Development team for a range of fun, one-off events such as our popular Colour Run.
- Sports leagues – there are a number of football leagues for all ability levels including 5-a-side, 11-a-side and women’s leagues. We also have a new 3v3 basketball league coming in term two.
- Tennis for All – love tennis? There are loads of opportunities to level up your game with group coaching, private lessons, and social sessions all within our all-weather indoor tennis facility.
Short-term support programmes
We offer a range of short-term fitness programmes for anyone that needs support on a more personal level.
- Menopause Fitness Course – a 6-week support course for women who need advice and guidance navigating the physical and emotional changes associated with menopause.
- Exercise Referral Scheme – a 12-week tailored exercise programme suitable for anyone that is currently inactive and is in need of guidance in returning to activity.
- Pre and Post Natal Exercise Referral Scheme – a 12-week programme designed specifically for women who are pregnant or recently had a baby that aims to help include exercise and wellbeing into daily life.
Health and Wellbeing support
Our qualified Fitness and Sports Development teams are on-hand to support your health and wellbeing with a range of activities and services across campus.
- Women and non-binary members only gym hours – open to all who self-define as women or non-binary. These sessions run weekly on Tuesday between 10am and 12pm, and Thursday between 5pm to 7pm.
- Gym quiet hours – supporting our community who prefer to exercise in a quiet space. During these hours, music and TVs in the gym are switched off and we ask gym users to keep noise to a minimum. The gym quiet hours are weekly on Wednesday between 9.30am to 10.30am and Friday 7.30am to 9.30am.
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Phase 3 classes – for anyone that has suffered a cardiac event in the past. These low-impact, social sessions will help support a safe return to exercise with our qualified and experienced team.
- Initial Fitness Consultations – you can book a free Initial Fitness Consultation with a member of the gym team to talk through your fitness goals and any support you may need. Email CSEKentSportGym@kent.ac.uk to book your appointment.
- Wheelchair Tennis sessions – we provide weekly wheelchair tennis sessions for any member to attend. Under the guidance of our experienced and friendly tennis development team, you’ll learn a new skill while having fun. All equipment provided. Book through your online account.
- Boccia – this paralympic sport is one of the most accessible sports in the world, and is offered as part of our ALL Active programme each week and is open to all students, staff, and alumni. Book through your online account.
- Neurodiverse Walk and Run – join Kent Sport and Student Support and Wellbeing every Wednesday during term for a social, relaxed walk and talk session. For all neurodivergent students and students who feel they might be. Book through your online account.
Kent Sports Clinic
The Kent Sports Clinic provides a wide-range of recovery and performance services such as qualified physiotherapy, sports massage, and sports rehabilitation. The services are open to all members with discounts for Premium Plus and Plus members.
Sports Clubs
Joining a student sports club is a great way to learn a new sport, meet like-minded friends, and develop key skills. With more than 50 sports clubs on offer by Kent Students’ Union and with club training and matches throughout the term, the winter months are the perfect time to join a sports club. Visit the Kent Students’ Union website for more information. If the student sports club uses Kent Sport facilities for training sessions, you will also need a minimum of Kent Sport Pay to Play membership to take part.
Opening hours and facilities
All Kent Sport facilities are now open on vacation hours until Sunday 11 January 2026.
Kent Sport facilities will be open on term opening hours from Monday 12 January until the end of term on Friday 20 March 2026.
Check our website for full opening hours.
Our facilities include:
- A Large, split-level gym with a full range of cardio and weight training equipment, including Olympic lifting platforms and Eleiko discs and bars.
- More than 70 group exercise classes each week during term time across in-person and LES MILLS virtual instructor formats.
- Three large multi-use sports halls that can be setup for a number of different indoor sports including netball, badminton, pickleball, cricket, indoor football, and many more.
- Three full-size artificial sports pitches at The Pavilion that can be used for football, hockey, lacrosse, rugby and much more. Available to book recreationally or contact our events team KentSportEvents@kent.ac.uk for our corporate booking rates.
- Four acrylic indoor tennis courts in our superb Kent Indoor Tennis and Events Arena (KITEA). With a qualified tennis team and multiple group and individual coaching options, you really can level up your game with us.
- And more including our dedicated boxing and martial arts area, indoor and outdoor cricket nets, and grass pitches.
Get active with Kent Sport membership
Memberships for everyone
While Kent Sport facilities are located on the University of Kent Canterbury campus, you don’t have to be a student to join and use the sport and fitness facilities. Everyone is welcome to join Kent Sport with our range of membership options to suit every ability level and interest. With a full range of indoor and outdoor facilities plus an extensive gym and group exercise studio, we’re sure you’ll find something you love.
Living on campus?
If you are a student of any study year (UG and PG) and you live on campus in University accommodation, you are entitled to a free Kent Sport Premium Plus membership. Make sure you activate and use your free membership if you haven’t yet – there’s loads to do and you don’t have to be super sporty to join in. Create your account online. Even if you don’t benefit from free membership, you can still join as a member with one of our affordable membership options.
Student memberships
From 1 January 2026, students can join Kent Sport and enjoy the sport and fitness facilities on campus until 30 June 2026 for just £109 for Plus, and £149 for Premium Plus. One-month memberships are also available if you want to use Kent Sport facilities on a more flexible basis. See all membership options and buy online.
One-month memberships
Everyone can benefit from a more flexible membership by taking out a one-month Kent Sport membership, available for all students, staff, alumni, and members of the public. You can purchase a one-month membership at any time through your online account. Once your annual or one-month membership expires, simply head to your online account or the Sports Centre and The Pavilion receptions and purchase another month.
Membership benefits
If you’re not yet a member, we have a variety of membership options available to students, staff, alumni and members of the public:
- Premium Plus – all-inclusive membership combining all Plus member benefits, with access to the gym and all classes included.
- Plus – sports-only membership with access to recreational sport bookings, ALL Active sessions, and LES MILLS Virtual classes included.
- Pay to Play – pay-per-session membership that gives you the flexibility to play at your own pace. Free to join.
If you’d like to join Kent Sport as a new member, you can do this through your online account or at the Sports Centre and The Pavilion receptions. Alternatively, if you’d like to take the next step and upgrade your current membership, you can do this on your next visit to the Sports Centre.
If you have any questions about membership at Kent Sport, please email memberships@kent.ac.uk
New to Kent Sport?
If you need a bit more information before committing to a membership with Kent Sport,
- Visit the Kent Sport website for more information about our facilities, services, and activities.
- Take a virtual tour to check out our high-quality facilities.
- Free Initial Fitness Consultations are offered to all members to help you safely use the gym equipment. Email CSEKentSportGym@kent.ac.uk to book your space.
- Find out how and where to park on campus as a student, staff member, or member of the public.
- Contact us if you have any specific questions by emailing sportsenquiries@kent.ac.uk or by calling 01227 823 623 (Sports Centre) and 01227 827 223 (The Pavilion).