Councillors have this week (Tuesday 13 June) voted to include more people in Falkirk’s leisure and culture concessionary scheme, the Go Card, at a meeting of the Council’s Executive. 

The new Go Card PLUS retains all the existing benefits of the current scheme, as well as expanding membership to include care-experienced young people, refugees and asylum seekers living in Falkirk.

Free casual swimming for Go Card members is retained until at least March 2024, and free sports coaching places are included for children of Go Card PLUS members.

Offering a 33% discount on full price health and fitness membership, the Go Card PLUS ranks Falkirk Council’s as one of the top concessionary schemes in Scotland when benchmarked against other areas.

Concessions

The Go Card is a concessionary card which can be used throughout our leisure and culture facilities for free or discounted access to a range of our services and activities.

Eligibility covers many groups of people, and includes full time students, people receiving benefits and those aged over 65 – and the new scheme recognises the need to include care-experienced young people.

Through consultation with the Falkirk Champions – a board bringing together Council staff and care experienced young people in the area – access to sport and leisure services was highlighted as important for them to live healthier, happier lives.

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said:

“Research suggests that people living in the most deprived areas of our communities are less likely to meet recommended daily activity levels or participate in sport, leading to poorer overall health.

“So it’s important that we provide a way to widen access to sport, leisure and culture for groups of people who may be struggling financially, and the GoCard PLUS helps us do that.”