First for Life Leisure as it reaches beyond Stockport
Life Leisure has extended its reach outside Stockport for the first time, with a brief to breathe new life into the Park Leisure Centre at Barrow in Cumbria.
Not-for-profit Life Leisure, the company which manages 12 sports and leisure facilities in and around Stockport, will partner with Barrow Borough Council on its community health and fitness programme for 57,000 local people.
Building on its success in the Stockport area, Life Leisure will also create a sports development service, with activities in the heart of the Barrow community.
The aim is to reach those who do not normally use leisure centres or gyms in a bid to step up levels of healthy activity across the town.
Over the first 18 months Life Leisure will upgrade and refurbish the town’s Park Leisure Centre, which will be renamed Life Leisure Barrow Park, including works on the swimming pool changing facilities and a refit and reconfiguration of gym equipment.
Among the plans is Life Leisure’s Lively Kids programme, offering special classes, holiday camps and birthday parties to augment the existing kids’ gym at Park Leisure Centre.
The gym will be adapted to make it more accessible for other groups, such as those with disabilities.
Life Leisure also aims to work with local companies such as BAE Systems and Centrica, as well as NHS organisations, to expand corporate membership and offer new activities like its popular actilife programme – which combines wearable technology (fitness trackers), an online interactive programme and remote coaching to help people become more active and better manage their weight.
Life Leisure’s chief executive Malcolm McPhail said: “We are delighted to bring our expertise to another North West area in this, our first foray outside the Stockport area to improve fitness in other communities.
“At Life Leisure, our vision revolves around improving people’s lives by providing high quality facilities and access for all, including disadvantaged individuals and communities.
“Above all, we want to change the lives of the people of Barrow for the better.”
Cllr David Pidduck, leader of Barrow Council, said: “One of the few things health experts agree on is that active people are healthy people.
“We made it clear from the outset that we were looking, not just for an operator, but a long-term partner that shared our vision for the borough, and I am really looking forward to working with Life Leisure to make that a reality.”
