A coalition of more than 200 bodies and individuals* from the worlds of health, sport, recreation, and leisure has written to the Prime Minister with an urgent plea for greater support for grassroots facilities and clubs amid the ongoing energy crisis.
With energy costs relief for the UK’s swimming pools, leisure centres, community facilities, and gyms ending on 31 March, thousands of facilities and clubs are at risk of permanent closure or reduced services, as public and private sector organisations of all sizes face unprecedented financial challenges, with bills remaining up to 200% higher than normal.
For public leisure operators running services within local authorities, the latest data from ukactive’s members shows that 31% of council areas in England remain at risk of losing their leisure centre(s) or seeing reduced services at their leisure centre(s), from 1 April**, with around 350 facilities nationally already having seen service restrictions, temporary and permanent closures since October 2022.
The signatories of the letter range from major health bodies to sport’s national governing bodies, and the nation’s biggest fitness and leisure groups, while athletes such as Rebecca Adlington and celebrities including Davina McCall have also added their support.
The letter warns that, “Failure to identify bespoke support for the sector (and schools operating sports facilities) as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme will be the final straw for many facilities and services – especially swimming pools.
“Without national intervention, communities will see the loss of essential local services, including swimming lessons for children which are vital for water safety; multi-sport offerings; mental health services; bespoke programmes for older citizens, ethnically diverse communities, women and girls, and disabled people; and long-term health programmes including cancer rehabilitation and support for those with musculoskeletal conditions and type 2 diabetes.”
Within the letter, the coalition calls for the Government to:
- Reclassify swimming pools as energy intensive as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme so they have access to the higher level of discount on energy prices.
- Set out what tangible support it will provide to the wider sector –including gyms, leisure centres, sports facilities, and clubs –to help navigate the energy crisis across 2023 so that service restrictions and facility closures can be minimised.
- Set out a “plan for growth” for the sector by aligning the proposed new Sports Strategy with the Spring Budget to unlock the potential of the sector to support the economic, health, educational and social wellbeing of the nation.
The letter was coordinated a group of bodies, including: Active Partnerships, the Association for Public Service Excellence, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, the Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association, Community Leisure UK, District Councils’ Network, the Local Government Association, Sported, the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the Sport for Development Coalition, Swim England, the Swimming Teachers’ Association, the Youth Sport Trust, and ukactive.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “Over two hundred organisations and prominent individuals are united in urging the Government to safeguard essential community facilities across the country that remain under threat of service restrictions and closure, impacting people of all ages and backgrounds.
“Pools, gyms, leisure centres, and community facilities form part of our social fabric, and they are vital for our nation’s health and the economy. Action must be taken to protect our facilities, and to help them recover and grow so they can in turn support the growth of a healthier, happier, more productive nation.”
Jane Nickerson, Chief Executive of Swim England, said: “The breadth of organisations who have joined forces to send such a clear message to the Government demonstrates the hugely important role our pools and leisure centres play in supporting the health of the nation and the seriousness of the situation these facilities are facing as a result of hugely increased energy costs.
“It’s vital they get the support they need so they can remain at the heart of local communities, helping people lead healthier and happier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS and social care system.”
Read the full letter here. To support the sector, contact your MP with your concerns.
*The signatories:
Active Partnerships
Association for Public Service Excellence
Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity
Community Leisure UK
Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association
District Councils’ Network
Local Government Association
Sported
Sport and Recreation Alliance
Sport for Development Coalition
Swim England
Swimming Teachers’ Association
Youth Sport Trust
ukactive
1Life Management Solutions
Abbeycroft Leisure
Active IQ
Active Nation
Activity Alliance
Alliance Leisure Services
Anytime Clubs UK
Archery GB
Arthritis Action
Association of British Climbing Walls
Atrium Fitness
Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
Badminton England
Barnsley Premier Leisure
Baseball Softball UK
Basketball England
BH Live
Boccia England
British American Football Association
British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers
British Canoeing
British Cycling
British Dressage
British Equestrian
British Fencing
British Gymnastics
British Ice Skating
British Judo
British Mountaineering Council
British Paralympic Association
British Rowing
British Shooting
British Showjumping
British Swimming Pool Federation
British Taekwondo
British Triathlon
British Water Ski & Wakeboard
British Weightlifting
British Wheelchair Basketball
British Wrestling
Club Kingswood
Code Fitness
Coordinate Sport
David Lloyd Leisure
Durham County Council
Edinburgh Leisure
Edstart Sports Coaching
eGym GmBH
EMD UK
Endurance GB
England and Wales Cricket Board
England Athletics
England Bowls
England Boxing
England Golf
England Handball
England Hockey
England Lacrosse
England Netball
England Squash
English Indoor Bowling Association
Everybody Health & Leisure
Fisikal
Fitness First Clubs
Fitness4Less
Freedom Leisure
FTC Gym
Fusion Lifestyle
GB Boxing
Gladstone
GM Active
Goalball UK
Good Boost
Great Britain Diving Federation
Great Britain Outrigger
Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby
Greenhouse Sports
GLL
Halo Leisure
Hurlingham Polo Association
InBody UK
InspireAll
International Longevity Centre UK
Junior Adventure Group
Karate Union of Great Britain
Keepme
Laban Guild International
Leeds City Council – Sport
Leisure-net Solutions
Lifestyle Fitness
Limbpower
Miha Bodytec
Mosaic Spa & Health Clubs
Move it or Lose it
Move Technologies
Myzone
North Lanarkshire Council
Nuffield Health
Orbit4
Orthopaedic Research UK
Outdoor Industry Association
Parkour UK
Parkwood Leisure
Pentathlon GB
Places Leisure
PureGym
Quartz Sequoia Events
Richmond Group of Charities
Rounders England
Royal Life Saving Society UK
Royal Yachting Association
Rugby Football League
Rugby Football Union
Scottish Leisure Network Group
Sense
Simply Smiles
Skateboard GB
SLM Community Leisure Charity Trust
SLM Health and Fitness
Snowsport England
Snowsport Wales
Sport Aberdeen
Sport for Confidence
Sports Leaders
Squash Wales
Stevenage Leisure
Surfing England
Swim Wales
Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association
Table Tennis England
The Food Addiction Coach
The Golf Foundation
The Gym Group
Thomas Pocklington Trust
Total Fitness
Trilogy Active
UK Athletics
UK Ultimate
Vivify
Volleyball England
Wales Golf
Wales Netball
Water Babies
Watford FC Community Trust
Welsh Athletics
Welsh Cycling
Welsh Judo
Welsh Sports Association
Welsh Triathlon
Women In Sport
Women’s Sport Collective
Zoom Media
Rebecca Adlington OBE
Chemmy Alcott
Claire Cashmore MBE
Ed Clancy OBE
James Cracknell OBE
Ben Cutmore
Sharron Davies MBE
Laura Deas
Sam Downie
Mark Foster
Chelsie Giles
Luke Greenbank
Duncan Goodhew MBE
Mike Goody
Charlie Guest
Michael Gunning
Alfie Hewett
Anna Hopkin MBE
Andy Jameson
Liz Johnson
Matty Lee MBE
Davina McCall
Scarlett Mew Jensen
Adrian Moorhouse MBE
Steve Parry MBE
Keri-Anne Payne
Jonnie Peacock MBE
Karen Pickering MBE
Scott Quin
Rebecca Redfern
Ellie Robinson MBE
Will Sach MBE
Kate Shortman
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix
Alice Tai MBE
Leon Taylor
Iwan Thomas
Daley Thompson CBE
Isabelle Thorpe
Dr Mike Tipton MBE
Lloyd Wallace
David Weir CBE
Professor Greg Whyte OBE
Marc Woods
Melanie Woods
** Risk register assessment survey conducted by the ukactive Research Institute with ukactive public sector leisure operator members. Responses were received from 21 national and multi-site operators, representing 35% of all UK council areas (February 2023)
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