We spoke to Deputy Mayor Cllr Maium Talukdar, Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning and councillor for Canary Wharf ward about the women’s takeover of the Tiller Road Be Well Centre."

Cllr Talukdar welcomed women to Tiller Road Be Well, in his Canary Wharf constituency.

“Lutfur Rahman promised,” said Cllr Talukdar, “and Lutfur Rahman delivered. And the women in my ward decided to come and see the new services for themselves .”

Cllr Talukdar was speaking about the Council’s Leisure Centres, which are now being managed by the Council direct. The centres have been rebranded “Be Well” – but users on the Isle of Dogs are still asking each other, “Have you been to Tiller Road yet?”

In his manifesto in May 2022, Mayor Lutfur Rahman promised to “promote women’s sports and increase availability of women’s gym and swimming sessions.” When managing the Be Wells came back in-house, Mayor Rahman took the opportunity to offer free swimming for women and girls over 16 and men over 55. He also insisted that the Be Wells offer some women-only sessions in their swimming pools.

“It was a very welcome move,” said the Deputy Mayor. “We have been inundated with women coming to register for free swimming. There’s a real interest out there.”

Cllr Talukdar was particularly pleased that free swimming are so popular, as this should improve women’s health. “Women often don’t have much opportunity for exercise,” he explained, “and that can actually lead to a drop in life expectancy – which seems to be happening in Tower Hamlets. This free swimming should be able to help turn this situation around.”

All this hope led to women taking over the Tiller Road Be Well on Saturday, 9th November. Over 150 women came along and had a go at swimming as well as other activities such as boxercise and self-defence classes. The Be Well was staffed by women for the day, and they organised a pop-up creche as well as sessions with Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies.

“Women in Canary Wharf ward told me they had a really good day,” said Cllr Talukdar, “and I’m sure that’s true for women from all across the Isle of Dogs. And the best news is – they’ll be back!”

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