Working with almost 50 councils and Trusts nationwide, Everyone Active boasts an impressive pool portfolio of nearly 100 pools. Marking their 30th anniversary this year, the leisure team has gone from managing a single site in the Midlands to operating 158 leisure centres countrywide.
The longest-established leisure provider in the UK, has built on strong relationships with 48 local and district council to manage a total of 96 pools and sees 1.4 million guests through its doors each year. “We’re called Everyone Active for a reason,” explains Jacqui Tilman, “We have built a strong reputation for delivering well-managed leisure facilities, which have successfully proven to encourage more people to be more active.”
Whether it’s the most state-of-the-art gym equipment, sports facilities, Swim England-accredited swim programmes or fun activities for children; the aim is to provide something for the entire community to enjoy.
STAYING HEALTHY
“We’re enthusiastic about being active and staying healthy and we want our local communities to be too. We’ve made it our mission to encourage more people to participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, five times a week.”
Despite a strong philosophy, bringing the experience to all community can be tough and requires a team of over 12,000 to hit their targets. Teaching more school children to swim remains a key challenge for the leisure sector. Jacqui, the Group Swim Manager for Everyone Active says that the organisations has an obligation to ensure its facilities are being used to learn this life-saving skill.
“Statistics show that one in three children still leaves primary school unable to swim 25 metres unaided. Through its comprehensive school swimming programme, Everyone Active is trying to change this by giving more children access to local swimming pools and high-quality teaching.
“Last year we had 58,000 children participating in school swim lessons at Everyone Active centres each week. We are also working with Becky Adlington Swim Stars (BASS) to promote school swimming to the nation and raise its position on the education agenda. “Our ultimate objective is to get all children swimming 25 metres and engaging in water safety before they leave primary school.”
FLAGSHIP VENUE
Although keen to enhance the swimming skills of children nationwide, from one of their leading sites – Plymouth Life Centre – Everyone Active also manage one of the country’s leading sports venues. The facility, which is operated in partnership with Plymouth City Council, is an official talent development centre for Great Britain’s diving team and is home to state-of-the-art training facilities.
“It offers opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved in the sport, from beginners through to elite athletes. The Life Centre’s diving pool is international standard, attracting top-tier athletes and making it a perfect venue for national competitions,” says Jacqui. The centre includes a 50m competition pool and diving pool, which both have movable floors to facilitate teaching, fitness, water polo and general swimming.
The diving pool has boards at 3m, 5m, 7.5m and 10m, video playback facility and bubble release technology for reducing diver impact. Competitive divers and other sportspeople also have use of a dry-side training facility with trampolines, springboards, harnesses, crashmats and other specialist equipment. As well as the swimming and diving pools there is also a family leisure pool with flumes, beach entry and bubble pool. Alongside this extensive swimming offering Plymouth Life Centre has dedicated indoor leisure activities, multipurpose studios, squash courts, health and beauty spa with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room for the community to enjoy.
RAPID GROWTH
Over the course of 2017, Everyone Active have started five new contracts with Slough Borough Council, Bromsgrove District Council, Barking and Dagenham Council. Warwick District Council and Loxford Trust. It has invested millions into improving its centres, and aiming to bring them to the same high standards as the Plymouth Life Centre. A 50m modular pool is being built at Becontree Heath Leisure Centre in Dagenham. It will open next year and help Everyone Active to grow the centre’s aquatics programme, which is already recognised as the largest in the UK.
Everyone Active
Tel. 01287 623761
www.everyoneactive.com