The confirmation of Ross Morris as the new chairman of the National Leisure group of companies heralds what looks set to be an exciting chapter in the history of the organisation. Ross, of Splash Pool Supplies, based in East Sussex, had been vice chairman for two years. His first official duties coincided with a National Leisure networking weekend event held at Coombe Abbey Country House Hotel, near Coventry, last month. “National Leisure is a group of customer-focused swimming pool retailers, contractors and engineers who aim to provide the highest-quality service to their customers,” said Ross. “National Leisure members will be among the best informed and professional pool retailers and contractors in the UK,” he added. “Members of National Leisure do not compete against each other. Instead, they co-operate to share knowledge and skills in a policy of continuous improvement. “At this event we were able to share and pool business ideas and that is particularly vital given the challenges in this economic climate.”
BUYING CONSORTIUM
Said Ross: “National Leisure has many strengths – one of those being our powers as a buying consortium which means we are able to negotiate excellent deals with our suppliers. “This is an area which we are currently developing with some significant product development in the pipeline.” At a special dinner, held on the Friday evening, the group celebrated the outstanding successes of several key members at the SPATA pool awards. Those gathered toasted the loss of Ted Sturgess of Progressive, who died earlier this year and made presentations to newly engaged Stephen Chamberlain and Jennifer Nuttall of Barton Lake and retirees Brian and Lillian Lang. A highly productive networking seminar on the Saturday morning centred around different ideas for coping with the recession and maintaining a successful business in the face of common challenges such as Internet sales. Living up to their reputation for socialising, the group then set off for an afternoon tour visiting the Coventry Transport Museum and shopping in Royal Leamington Spa. Saturday evening involved a Medieval banquet at the hotel with actors re-enacting the events of the gunpowder plot and Medieval style food, followed by a fireworks display and a disco. National Leisure was formed in 1989 by a small group of forward-thinking pool retailers and contractors who recognised the need to work together to provide an effective buying group that could exchange information and provide economies of scale when negotiating with suppliers. Twenty years on, National Leisure has over 20 members spread around England and Wales and are actively recruiting new members. To express interest in joining the group, contact the National Leisure office today for a confidential conversation.
National Leisure
Tel. +44 (0)1305 824610
www.national-leisure.co.uk
