The Parc Sanitari offers weekly sports activities to more than 300 vulnerable people

The project We do sports in the neighborhood, which promotes healthy living through regular exercise, has grown by 50 percent year-on-year. In 2024, 210 people took part, and in 2025, more than 310 have signed up. This increase in demand will translate into more places available next year, especially with the addition of new activities.  

Activities such as Nordic walking, water aerobics and fitness for adults have provided people in vulnerable situations due to mental health issues with a space for prevention and support, giving them the chance to do sport several times a week.  

Users have shown unprecedented commitment to the activities: they have given up their places when they were unable to come along and been much more consistent in their attendance. This has allowed the groups to become much more stable than in previous years. 

We do sports in the neighborhood, a consolidated project

For several years now, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, with the backing of Barcelona City Council and in partnership with the Colom, Can Ricart and Espanya Industrial Municipal Sports Centres and Nordic walking instructors, has been organising activities for mixed groups of residents with and without mental health issues. 

The great thing about using local facilities is that it helps people connect with each other, become more independent and get fitter while expanding their social network. Many of the people who get involved with the sports centre end up going on their own and making exercise part of their daily routine.