Dawn Page is our Deputy Contract Manager in Birmingham. Serco Leisure’s biggest contract with nine leisure centres.

Dawn has a day job. A full-on operational day job. But that doesn’t stop her being one of Serco Leisure’s biggest physical activity heroes.

Via Ladywood Leisure Centre, Serco Leisure won a ukactive award in 2022 in the Diversity and Inclusion category. So much of that was down to Dawn. She’s always on the look out for groups or sectors of society who aren’t being catered for by traditional health and fitness provision.

In 2022, we extended opening hours during Ramadan to support customers who were fasting. That was led by Dawn.

The Sunflower Scheme for people with hidden disabilities – they use Ladywood, thanks to Dawn.

Dance to Health – the national falls prevention organisation – they use Ladywood. Dawn again.

Breakfast swimming clubs –you guess who led the way on this.

Muslim Girls who Fence – they’ve got a place here. Women in the Muslim community can often be isolated from sport and leisure services, but – led by Dawn – we’ve worked with this group to provide a base, as well as offering women-only swim, aqua, sauna and steam sessions.

It’s important to note and fundamental to this submission that the judges realise that the vast majority of the work Dawn has carried out in pursuit of embracing diversity and inclusion and increasing participation among hard-to-reach groups in the city has been outside of her very demanding role as Deputy Partnership Manager, a position that supports the operation of the overall contract.

She’s not a fitness instructor, she doesn’t run group exercise classes or teach people to swim. All admirable jobs helping people to get more active.

But, Dawn Page has done more to get the people of Birmingham active than anyone else we can think of. And she’s done it on top of her day job, because she has a passion to support people that other leisure facilities might forget.

“Dawn works tirelessly to make a difference to people’s lives through physical activity, and what she has achieved is exemplary. Her work to foster supportive connections among individuals and groups, whilst promoting positive interactions that create a sense of belonging, know no boundaries. From the walls of our leisure centres and far into our communities, Dawn is undoubtably a true Physical Activity Hero for Birmingham.” - Paul Walls - Senior Sports Manager (Contracts), Birmingham City Council

Helen as been involved in Gloucester and GL1 sport and physical activity for 20 years and seen many changes over that time. From being council operated, to transferring to Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust and now Freedom Leisure.

Helen is the Freedom lead for the health and wellbeing Hub. This health hub space within GL1 links demand from the local community to meet health, wellbeing, physical activity and social partners that include Macmillan, home group and NHS my life.

In collaboration with Helen, partners and the GL1 facility a program was designed for people who were in the recovery process from long term mental health conditions. The programme was named "My Life", to give the clients ownership.

76% of participants completed the 12 week programme. There was improvement in muscular endurance and cardio-respiratory endurance and improvements in RPE on the Borg 6-20 scale.

Participants reported “feeling safe”, “trust” and “more confidence” to exercise under supervision and responded positively to “being pushed”. Participants also experienced “a camaraderie which helped to motivate myself and others in the group.

This is a typical but common example of where Helen, in addition to the day job, will support a range of ideas and programmes that ultimately will get people through the doors of the leisure centre. Once accessing the centre, Helen will then work in supporting people in generating the right habits to then continually use and feel the benefits of health and well-being services.

In 2023, Helens portrait was painted for an art exhibition hosted for International women’s day. The event celebrated local women and their contribution to the local community and services of which Helen was recognised and celebrated.

Recently turning 70, Helen remains employed as a full-time Commercial Manager for Freedom Leisure in Gloucester and will step in and cover for a variety of fitness classes. Helens energy and enthusiasm for the services we offer in the leisure industry is there for customers and staff to see – Helen is a key part of the management team and supports with her ideas and experience in a variety of ways.

Helen remains fit and active and is a great example of what being involved in the leisure and wellbeing industry can do for you.

Gina Macgregor MBE stands as a beacon of inspiration, whose lifelong dedication to sport and fitness has significantly impacted her community. At the age of 50, Gina launched the ambitious Transporter Project, aiming to reintroduce sports and physical activities to those over 50 in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Her vision was clear: to create accessible opportunities for exercise and social interaction in every village across the borough. Through relentless effort, Gina successfully established short mat bowls clubs, badminton sessions, short tennis, netball groups, and social gatherings in each local area.

Overcoming numerous challenges, from securing venues and equipment to promoting the programs, Gina's resolve never wavered. She leveraged her extensive netball coaching experience, exceptional people skills, and deep community connections to garner support. At times the impact has been remarkable.

Thousands of previously sedentary individuals over 50 years old have rediscovered the joy of being active. They have formed new friendships, improved their fitness, and enhanced their overall wellbeing. Even at 84, Gina continues to deliver and participate in daily sports, serving as an enduring inspiration. Currently Gina delivers 8 sessions per week across 3 different centres. Gina’s contribution results in over 9000 participation visits annually for all ages. Another success to highlight, Gina is the president of maidenhead district netball league, which was first formed by Gina in 1971 and is continuing to flourish.

Perhaps Gina's most significant achievement is the sustainable legacy she has created. The Transporter Project's clubs and sessions are now an integral part of our communities, ensuring that they will continue to enrich lives for generations.

Throughout her journey, Gina has demonstrated outstanding leadership, organisational talent, and tenacity. Her warm personality and ability to make everyone feel special have empowered many hesitant individuals to take their first steps into physical activity.

Gina's holistic approach, which combines exercise with social engagement, reflects her deep understanding of human needs. She has skillfully created inclusive, welcoming environments that overcome common barriers to participation.

Honouring Gina Macgregor with the Physical Activity Hero Award acknowledges her transformative impact on her community through sport and human connection. Her lifelong commitment to fostering active, social, and fulfilling lives is truly inspirational.

In recognition of her services to netball, Gina was awarded an MBE. Sixty years later, she carried the Olympic torch to the Queen in Windsor during the London 2012 Games, a testament to her enduring influence and dedication.

Gina is a true inspiration to us all. If you ask Gina what continues to motivate her? Gina does it because she enjoys it and loves seeing people enjoy sports together. This is such a powerful statement and worth sharing to our future generation of coaches and instructors who wish to get into sport and leisure.

At 69 years of age, Joe epitomises the adage that retirement is just the beginning of a new chapter. Retiring at 61, Joe didn't settle for idle leisure. Instead, he embraced a fulfilling blend of work and volunteerism, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to staying active and engaged.

Following the loss of his beloved wife, Joe sought solace and purpose through volunteering in the Live Long Program at the Valley Leisure Centre in 2021. It was here that he discovered a passion for fostering community wellness.

Undeterred by initial hesitations in the predominantly female environment of senior aerobics, Joe's determination shone through. Encouraged by newfound friendships, he not only embraced the sessions but became a beacon of encouragement to others.

Joe's journey didn't stop at aerobics; he ventured into the realm of badminton; a sport entirely foreign to him. Through natural talent and determination, he swiftly became the ‘go too ‘person for advice and improving technique.

Fuelled by his love for badminton, Joe ventured into pickleball, leading to an increase in participation within the Live Long Programme that continues to grow. His leadership transformed it into the largest initiative of its kind in the Borough, embodying the ethos of UK Active: more people, more active, more often.

But Joe's impact goes well beyond the court. As a dedicated volunteer with Sport Changing Lives, he commits his time to leading exercise sessions at multiple leisure centres weekly, engaging up to 80 participants every week.

Beyond the physical, Joe recognises the profound social value of the Live Long Program.

He plays a key figure in promoting an inclusive environment, combating loneliness and welcoming hesitant participants.

Even amid the challenges of the pandemic, Joe's resilience shone brightly. Proactively organising outdoor exercise classes, he leveraged technology to bring individuals together, promoting holistic well-being during isolating times.

Joe's passion for volunteering stems from a desire for helping others to embrace an active lifestyle. Whether lending a supportive ear or offering a helping hand, he's been a steadfast source of encouragement for those attending the programme.

A true Physical Activity Hero, Joe's impact extends far beyond the numbers. His charisma, coupled with genuine care had inspired a community where individuals not only improve their fitness but also find belonging and purpose.

In Joe, the community has found a champion of well-being in our Borough, and a true friend to all in the Valley Leisure Centre and beyond.

Lisa Graham, a lifelong Hounslow resident, has not only made a name for herself as the first mixed-race female National Champion on the youth GB team but has also dedicated her life to transforming her community through swimming. With over four decades in Hounslow, she has evolved from a competitive swimmer to a pillar in local aquatic sports, especially noted for her strategic leadership at the London Borough of Hounslow Swimming Club.

Since taking the helm in 2018, Lisa has revitalized the club’s operations, culture, and reach. She dramatically increased membership from 40 to over 400 while maintaining affordable access for all, thus democratizing the health benefits of swimming. Her leadership extends beyond administrative success; she actively fosters a vibrant, inclusive community that welcomes members ranging from infants to the elderly, illustrating the universal appeal of swimming under her guidance.

Lisa’s impact deepened during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. She successfully secured essential funding from Swim England and the L&Q Fund, spearheading 12 community projects that promoted swimming and physical activities across diverse groups. Her holistic approach aligns with UKactive’s mission to encourage frequent physical activity across all ages. The programs she introduced have brought the joy and benefits of swimming to non-swimmers, teens, and seniors, including those with dementia, significantly enhancing their quality of life.

Her efforts also focus on inclusivity. In the past three years, Lisa has engaged over 450 people, including many with disabilities, ensuring that all programs adhere to Swim England National Standards. This commitment has not only scaled up the community's engagement with swimming but has also equipped numerous individuals with essential lifesaving skills.

Despite considerable challenges such as securing adequate pool time and expanding resources to meet growing demand, Lisa's dedication remains unshaken. Her tireless work and innovative strategies in community engagement and development have made her a beloved figure and an impactful leader in Hounslow.

Lisa Graham is more than a coach or a former champion; she is a true hero in the realm of physical activity. Her lifelong dedication to swimming and her community, coupled with her ability to inspire and lead, make her an exemplary candidate for the Physical Activity Hero Award. Her story is a powerful reminder of how passion and perseverance can foster a healthier, more connected community.

Nicole Fox, Everyone Active Contract Activity and Wellbeing Manager, Westminster & Westway, assumed the role of managing the Neighbourhood Sports Clubs (NSC) programme aged just 22 in 2016. In eight years, she has more than doubled its provision, while navigating the Covid lockdown. Her achievement is remarkable.

When Nicole took the role, 64 hours of free-to-access community activity was being delivered each week. Now, 150 hours are delivered every week to disadvantaged/disenfranchised people who live, work or study in Westminster.

Nicole leads a team of coaches/trainers delivering activity across the community, away from Everyone Active’s sites. Engaging people who can’t/won’t go to a leisure centre – due to anxiety, cost, disability or culture - ensures no one is left behind.

Nicole’s vision transcends physical activity: with one eye on social mobility, she engages and encourages people breaking biases and barriers. She has diversified the NSC programme to include 29 groups reaching a wide spectrum of people including:
• Fitness walks/sessions for Muslim women alienated by mixed-gender activities/centres.
• Youth activity focused on underused spaces in estates to drive doorstep sports. These safe space activities increase fitness and decrease anti-social behaviour. The Lydford Estate, in the most-deprived ward in the area, has outdoor sessions where youngsters now turn up ahead of the coach and run their own activities alongside.
• Sessions with MIND for adults including Mindful Yoga and Keep Fit at sites where they meet, making it familiar and safe for them.
• Heartwarming ‘Hurdles to Hoop’ basketball sessions for refugee children see NSC coaches fetch and return them for safety and assurance.
• Small but impactful disability sports making massive gains in physical wellbeing and confidence. People who needed carer support initially, are now independently active.

These small cohorts aren’t commercially viable: but Nicole has picked them up. “Just because the commercial figures don’t add up doesn’t mean you don’t deliver.”

Future-proofing NSC, Nicole instigated training of suitable participants: so far 12 have qualified as Level 1 football coaches, perpetuating further activity…

Nicole’s ambition and energy know no bounds. She tirelessly seeks new people to help, ensures existing groups fulfil their needs and oversees a team of over 100 activity providers.

Committed to providing activity to those otherwise unable to access it, Nicole’s tenacity and focus are formidable. To speak to her you wouldn’t know it: she is modest. Her work deserves recognition: she deserves this award.

Danii is the Health & Community Manager for Westmorland & Furness working for the Leisure provider GLL. Danii is a keen fell walker often out in the Cumbrian hills. This helps Danii encourage others to participate in what the Lake District has to offer.

Her passion is inspiring those who might not think physical activity is for them. Joining GLL in 2019, Danii has not only set up the Healthwise Physical Activity Referral pathway but also engaged stakeholders and service users to identify opportunities for those least likely to participate. In 2022 the NHS MSK department collocated into Kendal Leisure Centre. Danii was pivotal in setting up ESCAPE pain and establishing relationships with the NHS so patients could be referred at an optimal point in their treatment. Danii developed the programme to include pool-based options by introducing Pool-Pod allowing access to the pool for those who fed back that they would like to swim but felt like they couldn’t. This has facilitated opportunities for people to get back into swimming to support their health.

Westmorland & Furness has an elderly population. Through work with stakeholders, Danii ensured GLL are leading the Age Friendly project for Cumbria Community Foundation. This agreement, in July 2023, was a commitment to develop a strategy and action plan for South Lakeland. The collaboration includes Age UK, the Local Authority, Public Health and other third sector organizations

Some of the headline achievements for 2023:

Increase of +5000 participants through our doors

+400 Healthwise referrals generating +£100K of additional income.

GLL in Westmorland & Furness generated £3.4m in social value.

The NHS demonstrated a saving of +£150k due to reduced hospital admissions.

Raised +£150k of funding which had a huge impact on the sustainability of leisure services.

For the people she works with, the outcomes of being active are meaningful to them. These include mental and physical benefits which can impact their wider family and community. For example, one participant being able to walk to the shops again or another a feeling of being part of the community which in turn lifted them out of depression.

Developing meaningful relationships with individuals at all levels is a skill that Danii demonstrates daily. Feedback from both participants and stakeholders demonstrates her ability to embody the UK Active Mission. Her passion for people shines through as she guides them on their journey to live longer in better health.

Avril is an inspiring and caring person who has dedicated over 30 years to improving the lives of others within West Lothian to become active, keep active and increase their physical activity.

A qualified fitness instructor and dance professional, Avril is passionate about line dancing and has built an amazing community of line dancers. Her energy and enthusiasm engage over 300 people to attend weekly sessions, she also co-ordinates regular events and social activities.

As Ageing Well Co-ordinator, Avril supported older people to be more active and socially connected in later life with over 50 activities including walking, buddy swimming, nit and natter Avril ensured there was something for everyone.

Avril worked within local communities, targeting inequality and disadvantaged groups to ensure everyone could engage and participate.

“Avril is an outstanding ambassador, goes the extra mile, brings us together organising social events which are brilliant.

She is quick to observe if anyone is struggling and is there with a word of encouragement or a wee helping hand. Without this group, my physical and mental health would suffer”

Avril was also pivotal in establishing the West Lothian’s Care Activity Network, collaborating with Care Home providers from across the region bringing physical activity to residents increasing their activity level and social interactions.

In partnership with providers, Avril developed the CANOLYPMICS in 2011 which is now an annual event.

Over 150 care home residents come together to have fun and enjoy activities such as hook the duck, match the socks and new age kurling with a competitive edge, ending with a celebratory tea dance for competitors and care home staff.

“We had so much fun taking part in the CANOLYMPICS. The activities were great fun - residents loved the challenges and were so competitive!”

To support the Ageing Well Programme Avril built a team of over 40 volunteers training and developing individuals to deliver activities within their communities. This has also given the volunteers a sense of pride and inclusion, to give back whilst also supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

Avril’s drive and passion is inspirational, bringing communities and people from across West Lothian together to make a positive impact on their health and wellbeing. Full of energy, knowledge and experience making activities fun and inclusive for all, Avril truly lives the values of UK Active and is our physical activity hero!

Matt started his career over 30yrs ago where he was offered casual work in the café and on reception after completing a 2 week work experience placement from school when he was a sport mad 15 year old. Too young to be officially employed, Matt was ‘paid’ in sports shop vouchers and was the best kitted out 15yr old in his school! The day after his 16th birthday Matt was official and started as a trainee recreation assistant (YTS as it was back in the day) and there it all begun.

Some ambitious targets were set to progress his career and they were all achieved ahead of plan starting with being a Duty Manager at 18, progressing to an Area Manager at 27. Matt started at Lewes District Council and then moved to Tandridge Leisure Trust before settling at Freedom Leisure since 2005. In the following 19 years, Matt has worked at and supported many sites including managing all but one of the new contract mobilisations and been part of the growth from 6 sites up to 125. This growth of Freedom Leisure has also seen and enabled the rise for Matt into Group Operations Manager, Operations Director and for the last 3 years in to the role of COO, arguably the toughest years of his career.

However, every challenge presents an opportunity and since 1997, Health & Safety and Environmental Awareness has been a key part of Matt’s roles and these skills were never needed more than through Covid and then the energy crisis. Matt led Freedom Leisure through the closure and then several re-openings through Covid and was part of the UK Active Standards & Legislation Team helping set industry guidance on the safe re-opening of facilities. Matt is also Chair of the CLUK Sustainability & Environmental Special Interest Group and represents operators as part of the new Sustainable Futures UK Active group.

Matt has been instrumental in driving forward Freedom Leisures environmental and sustainable ambitions seeing annual reductions in utility consumption of more than 5% each year for the last 8 years. He has also demonstrated courage introducing new technologies before others. This approach has ensured Freedom Leisure have saved 10’s of thousands of tonnes of CO2 across its operations in the last decade.

Matts leads by example, instils high standards, is approachable and understands the challenges of each role in the organisation.

With a career at Everyone Active (EA) spanning over 30 years, Jacqui Tillman (Director of Aquatics, Wellbeing and CEO) is an inspiration to the organisation and the wider industry. Leading a teaching workforce of 3,500 people, she has developed the industry’s largest and most successful swim scheme. Her biggest challenge to date, however, has been to lead a team of 9,500 employees to ‘bounce back’ from the Covid19 Pandemic.

In Jan 2020, EA’s award-winning swim scheme was thriving, with over 148,000 weekly swim lessons and 8.7m casual swims per annum. However, by the following March, this had all changed. Contending with three lockdowns and the unexpected death of her husband to Covid19, Jacqui launched a new strategy to get EA’s swimming back to its former glory.

As the first operator to reintroduce swimming, Jacqui was acutely aware of the need to safeguard customer and colleague welfare, whilst ensuring the customer experience was better than ever. She introduced swim-ready sessions, lane etiquette to ensure all customers felt safe and comfortable and a booking system that enabled customers to book online (giving EA the ability to track usage, frequency, and spend all at the same time as managing pool programming under strict government guidelines).

In addition, Jacqui introduced new initiatives to provide a tailored approach to specific needs and communities, alongside enhanced training for colleagues. She restructured her long-established and loyal team, creating new positions and a long-term strategy to focus on the wider development of wellbeing, swimming, and activities. Through Jacqui’s leadership, by the end of the pandemic, she had successfully got 120,000 students back on weekly swimming lessons and 11.4m people were swimming in a safe and comfortable environment.

With an additional focus now on wellbeing, her team has already provided over 15,000 Ukrainian guests, 3,079 people living with Parkinson's, 600 cared-for-children and 1,900 care experienced individuals with free memberships across EA’s estate. In addition, doubling the membership of our GP exercise referral scheme in just 12 months. The swim programme has grown bigger than ever, with 184,000 swim lesson students attending weekly, 12.8m swims annually and a 19% increase in the number of swimming teachers employed.

Following a particularly challenging period for Jacqui – both personally and professionally – she remains an outstanding leader within our industry. Working with her team, she ensures both colleagues and communities are at the heart of everything she does.

It is with immense pride that we nominate Rowland Omamor for the UKactive Leisure Leader of the Year Award. As Managing Director of Lampton Leisure, Rowland has been pivotal in transforming our leisure services, particularly during the challenging post-COVID period.

Upon joining in October 2020, Rowland faced the daunting task of reopening the London Borough of Hounslow’s leisure facilities with memberships halved from 14,000 to 7,000. Leveraging his MBA and psychology background, he strategically repositioned Lampton Leisure to operate with a "commercial head and a community heart," focusing not just on fitness but on holistic community wellness.

His strategic approach was to reposition Lampton Leisure not just as a fitness centre but as a community health hub. He introduced a business model with a "commercial head and a community heart," which involved appointing a new senior leadership team capable of driving both community engagement and commercial success. This model has inclusively catered to all community members, with initiatives like Memory Cafes, Exercise on Referral, Holiday Activity Programmes, and specialized camps for children with disabilities.

Recognizing the industry’s challenge of high staff turnover, Rowland innovatively developed a learning and development program to nurture talent from within. A notable success story from this initiative is Emillia Poskrop, who progressed from a receptionist to a General Manager, illustrating the program’s effectiveness in fostering significant career growth.

Another strategic move under Rowland’s guidance was partnering with Swim England to address the chronic shortage of swimming teachers. This collaboration has not only alleviated recruitment challenges but also enriched our swimming programs, contributing to a vibrant aquatics community.

Rowland’s foresight in data utilization led to the establishment of a dedicated Data and Insight team. This team played a crucial role in our digital transformation, which was recognized with a UKactive award in 2023. His recent appointment to the CIMSPA board highlights his influence and commitment to advancing the leisure industry.

Additionally, Rowland pioneered the adoption of the agency model at Lampton Leisure—the first in a local authority Company—harnessing VAT benefits and enhancing financial sustainability.

Under his exceptional leadership, Lampton Leisure not only recovered but exceeded pre-COVID membership numbers, now boasting over 20,000 members. Rowland Omamor's unwavering commitment to innovation, community wellness, and industry leadership makes him a standout candidate for the UKactive Leisure Leader of the Year Award. His transformative impact on Lampton Leisure and the broader Hounslow community is truly commendable.

As Managing Director of Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), Jamie Groves has led the company since its launch in 2020. Jamie began his career in leisure at the age of 18 as a leisure attendant, and since then he has worked at virtually every level within the industry. His ambition, positivity and passion for all things leisure saw him become the youngest Head of Leisure in Wales at the age of 30, whilst working for Denbighshire County Council.

From creation to inception and onwards, Jamie has led the company impeccably, providing a singularly dynamic and motivational style of leadership and developing a thriving commercial culture. Whilst growth in the fitness industry has declined since 2019, DLL has increased fitness revenues by 78% over the same period. In the last four years, Jamie’s drive to see DLL grow and improve, has resulted in its original six brands growing to 25 distinct company brands, and an increase in turnover of 25%. This has been delivered through outstanding best in class developments at four of the company’s premium Club sites, alongside continued innovations in the company’s food and beverage and exclusive restaurant portfolio. Jamie’s accomplishments and leadership have meant that the company’s Board of Directors have complete confidence that any new developments will be a success.

Under Jamie’s guidance, the development of leisure in Denbighshire has had a huge impact on the population of the county, who now access leisure provision which is a thriving example of best practice. The size of the workforce has doubled since 2020, from 400 to 800 employees, and the company is now one of the primary employers in the area.

This transformation has also acted as a catalyst for much broader, positive change. Jamie conceived the idea for the UK Leisure Framework, which is owned by DLL and operates in partnership with Alliance Leisure Ltd. The framework offers business solutions for major leisure projects including the design, refurbishment, construction and development of leisure centres, theatres, recreation facilities and sports facilities across the UK. To date, UKLF has helped deliver over 110 developments, totalling nearly £160 million, with over £350 million of developments committed, and the potential value of the framework over its term totalling £2 billion. His leadership has led to and influenced a transformation of UK leisure facilities over recent years, bringing opportunities to many people to become more active, more often.

Lorraine is the face of GLL’s 11,500 workforce.

She has an excellent reputation for designing, driving and implementing organisation change projects for major business impact, assisting our ambitious Corporate Plan; enabling a motivated and highly trained workforce to support 275m customer visits over the next 5 years and raise £2bn in social value.

Her leadership ensures a diverse workforce aligned with our purpose and values as a charitable social enterprise, and to be 'The best social enterprise employer in the UK'.

As People Director, Lorraine merged and restructured the HR and LD teams with a focus on operational and business connectivity and multi-skilling. The People Team are high-performing, having delivered the Real Living Wage Accreditation; a positive Gender Pay Report (which puts women’s median pay 6% ahead of men’s); and the You Choose scheme (giving flexibility in employment options).

Lorraine builds connectivity and trust through a national network of leisure and library teams, evidenced in the achievement of IIP Gold in 2023.

A consultative EDI policy captures the power of a diverse workforce, increasing awareness, accountability and impact (41% of GLL’s leaders are women). Updated people KPIs also ensure data-led decision making.

New digital and self-help resources support onboarding new employees with understanding and learning.

Restructuring a 30 year-old organisation to face the future despite a crowded and competitive marketplace is challenging – as is delivering social enterprise principles and values in a tight labour-market, economic instability and increasing costs.

Overcome challenges, Lorraine has developed impactful relationships with DWP; Job Centres; Prince’s Trust and other partners to boost the image of jobs in leisure, provide routes to employment and a pipeline of talented and motivated people. Vacancy and turnover rates have improved dramatically.

Lorraine has created a highly trained and skilled workforce that can deliver required change. GLL has an award-winning Trainee Manager Scheme; a CIMSPA endorsed management development programme; 150 apprentices (78% levy drawdown). GLL was a finalist for the training award at ukactive Awards 2023.

Under Lorraine’s leadership, employees are ‘colleagues’ and ‘people’ first, treated with care and support. This is shown in the development of people; many (like her) have come up through the ranks during her 31-year career with GLL to achieve managerial and senior positions. She recently graduated with an MSc in People & OD and volunteers at local kennels.

GLL aims to be a 100-year old business and under Lorraine’s leadership it is thriving.

Michael Hirst is Chief Executive of award winning leisure trust BPL, which operates facilities across Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

Having worked for BPL for 20 years, Michael was appointed Chief Executive in early 2023 and has led from the front during a pivotal time.

Despite challenges, including rising cost of living and energy prices, Michael has been instrumental in finding innovative ways for BPL to not only survive, but thrive.

One big achievement is launching a new 2030 organisational strategy, with the clear vision of being a ‘force for good’ underpinning everything BPL does.

Michael’s also spearheaded major cultural change, overseeing the appointment of a new senior leadership team and Employee Value Proposition and the creation of BPL’s own CRM system to improve customer interactions and collect valuable data.

The EVP overhauled HR processes to create strong internal core values and emotional intelligence, ensuring staff feel empowered and involved.

Michael’s also completing an MBA; helping BPL retain contemporary management techniques.

And this hard work has not gone unnoticed.

In recent years, BPL has achieved major recognition - within leisure and externally - for its Your Space brand, culture and facilities.

Successes include wins at the ukactive, NFAs and Employee Brand Management Awards and finalists in the 2024 UK Company Culture Awards.

Michael’s also on the Yorkshire Sport Foundation board and is passionate about partnership working; ensuring BPL has strong relationships with key decision makers to shape and deliver major community projects.

His goal of strengthening partnerships has positioned BPL as a trusted, commercially astute delivery partner, which recognises the key to sustainable behaviour change is providing consumers with products and services they actually want.

This strategy involved positioning BPL facilities as fun, friendly and innovative - and it works.

BPL achieves some of the UK’s highest retention rates for weight management programmes, helping participants make long-term changes and addressing local health inequalities.

Partnership working also led to an £18m Levelling Up Fund project with Bassetlaw District Council in Worksop and delivering, alongside stakeholders, a new health and wellbeing hub in Barnsley.

Trustees say Michael has stabilised the organisation, gained management’s trust and unified staff, who have their voices heard in a supportive culture.

They believe he’s “steered BPL to become a healthy, forward looking, aspirational organisation” who has “energised the team and given them courage to be brave.”

In BPL’s 25th anniversary year, Michael winning this award would be the perfect way to celebrate.

Denbighshire Leisure Limited (DLL)’s Executive Team are outstanding as individuals, each bringing their own unique qualities and experience from sectors including governance, project management, finance, marketing, community sport and commerce. They came together in 2020, and have worked exceptionally hard to form a dynamic, unified team, successfully delivering support to a young, growing business, whilst also appreciating each other’s strengths and successfully applying them to enhance the team’s performance.

Since 2020, DLL has delivered transformational investment of five of its gyms, successfully creating its new Club brand. It has delivered four immersive group exercise studios, with Studio 360 in Rhyl being the first of its kind in Wales. The operational and project management expertise on the team has meant that many of these projects have been managed in-house. In line with the ambitious goals set for themselves and DLL, they have also developed an attractive and profitable portfolio of restaurants and cafes to diversify income streams. This has generated a fourfold increase in DLL’s F&B revenues in the past three years, with turnover now exceeding £4m a year.

This progress has not been without its challenges. Aside from the pandemic, the theatre/restaurant suffered a catastrophic flood, forcing a full twelve month closure and a number of other flagship attractions have suffered prolonged closures following significant storm damage.

Despite these setbacks, DLL has continued to grow at a relentless pace – it has seen a 20% growth in members in the past 18 months; built a £4m F&B business from scratch over the past 4 years; and created over 20 new brands that stand for DLL’s hallmarks of quality and customer experience; all contributing to a 20% growth in turnover over the past four years.

Alongside its commercial growth, DLL has continued to ensure that community sport and arts remain at the heart of the company, with a strong voice at Executive level.

Since 2020, DLL has doubled employment roles to support new areas of business, and the company has grown into one of the main employers in the region.

DLL’s Executive Team, who have shown an appetite for risk and a flair for innovation, are driving the company. They are strategic leads and are also visible as a hands-on presence, directing and supporting front line teams. Their commitment and resilience has meant DLL has had a huge impact in encouraging the community to become more active, and increasing participation levels.

Goals/Plans

In the dynamic fitness and wellbeing sector, our leadership team has thrived amidst adversity, driving impactful change and unprecedented growth. At the helm of our journey, our leadership has demonstrated unparalleled commitment to fostering a focused strategy, guiding our organisation towards excellence and sustainable growth.

Development of four Level 3 and seven Level 2 reformed qualifications, which has undertaken significant employer engagement. Growth targets include achieving specific milestones for our End point assessment and international provision. This award will recognise the visionary guidance and unwavering dedication of our management team.

Challenges/Achievements

Despite encountering formidable challenges, including the need to balance multiple projects, whilst transitioning from our former parent company, Ascend Learning, to a new parent company, NCFE, our leadership team has showcased remarkable resilience and determination ensuring the successful delivery of five transformative projects.

These span a spectrum of achievements, ranging from the ambitious reform of qualifications and requirement to meet strict timescales to the remarkable 57% commercial growth of our End-Point Assessment service. International business has experienced unprecedented expansion, 733% growth in the last 4 years underscoring our leadership’s global vision and strategic acumen. Commitment to sustainability has yielded tangible results, culminating in both industry recognition and organisational success.

Skills/Competencies

Central to our achievements is the adept utilisation of a diverse array of skills and competencies by our management team. A key driver has been utilising the Level 7 Senior Leadership Apprenticeship used to develop team members in a wide range of leadership; strategy; operations and people development. Collaboration across multiple teams, including business development, quality assurance, and qualification development, our leadership has facilitated synergistic efforts and unleashed the full potential of our organisation. Proficiency in navigating complex interdependencies and fostering a culture of innovation has been instrumental in driving our collective success.

Our leadership’s unwavering advocacy for the quality and importance of education within the physical activity sector has been exemplary. Championing initiatives aimed at enhancing professional standards and empowering individuals to lead healthier lives, our management team has not only advanced our organisational mission but also contributed to the broader societal goal of promoting active living.

The outstanding leadership exhibited at Active IQ embodies the essence of visionary leadership, resilience, and transformative impact. Their steadfast commitment to excellence and unwavering dedication to our organisational mission, have not only steered us through challenging times but also positioned us for a future defined by continued innovation and growth.

Alliance Leisure’s Leadership Team excels in driving growth and fostering an environment for our workforce to thrive.

With exceptional leadership and a strong focus on achieving desired outcomes, we have supported our clients, nurtured our organisational culture, and consistently delivered high-quality and innovative solutions. This success is reflected in the satisfaction of our team, our impressive growth, and the profound positive impact we have made in our mission to make public leisure sustainable and build healthier communities. We are a Strategic Partner of ukactive, committed to Vision 2030.  Our leadership team play an active role in delivering this mission; Sarah chairs the supplier council and James chairs Sustainable Futures.

Leadership and Culture

We are IIP accredited, and our target is to achieve Gold in 2024. We have implemented a Workforce Wellbeing Strategy promoting physical and mental good health and positive social interactions. We have embarked on a Carbon Literacy journey to make a robust commitment to sustainability. The leadership team also acknowledges the importance of the broad social impact we deliver internally, externally, and through our partnerships, as we move forward to obtain the Social Value Quality Mark. We have implemented a new Employee Engagement Schedule to acknowledge and monitor social interactions between individuals and departments which tracks over 600 touchpoints throughout the year. Tackling the cost-of-living, we award annual pay increases based on a sliding scale prioritising lower salaried staff, and cash bonuses for EVERYONE at Christmas.

Growth Strategy

We identified opportunities for growth and performed strongly, achieving income target of £100m+ (up from £78m in 2022/23). We’ve supported our teams to assist with the subsequent increase in workload by introducing SharePoint and a new Business Management System. A new onboarding process for new employees has also been a necessary requirement as we matched growth with investment in recruitment to meet the demand; our team grew by 18% in the last 12 months.

Talent Engine

We have made further talent investment in 2023/24 with the expansion of the Development Board for future succession planning and growth and have introduced executive coaching to create clear succession strategy. Acknowledging the need for internal education and sharing we launched our Alliance Academy, and to recognise future leaders, have placed team members on Leadership Training Schemes. We have provided mini-MBA opportunities for the team and also worked with MBA students to open up the company to external evaluation and feedback.

Xcite West Lothian Leisure is a charitable Leisure Trust with 250 staff and c.£13m turnover. Every penny is reinvested to provide the opportunity for residents in West Lothian to live a healthier, happier, longer life.

The organisation was faced with projected losses of £1.85m for 2024-25 due to still recovering from COVID, rising energy and inflation costs, compounded by a further planned loss of c.£1m in the subsequent 3 years because of a reducing management fee.

Significant change was needed if the business were to survive; doing nothing would have resulted in being insolvent within 18-months.

The leadership team, led by our CEO, embarked on a strategic re-think to focus on rationalisation and growth as its key strategy using a ‘Must Win Battles’ Framework to ensure survival.

This framework took the leadership team on a reprioritising, planning and implementation process that was both intellectual and emotional ensuring our people were at the heart of any decisions with a particular focus on:

• Setting and sharing a compelling vision

• Solutions focused

• Supporting teams through change management

• Strong and consistent engagement people plan

• Agility and entrepreneurial mindset

One year on we are continuing to work towards achieving financial success as a result of ‘what’ we did, and also ‘how’ with a critical focus on our people.

Key outcomes include:

1. Efficiencies through rationalisation of three facilities

• Zero compulsory redundancies

• 100% migration of affected swim clubs

• 88% migration of the Learn to Swim Programme

• 4% increase in usage

2. Innovation through new business development to grow the business:

• Reprovision of an under-utilised indoor bowling hall creating a gymnastics and martial arts coaching arena

• Reprovision of an underutilised studio to become a new HIIT Studio

• Reprovision of an underutilise studio to create a trackman golf simulator

• Development of West Lothian’s first indoor Padel Court

3. Investment in our People:

• Re-induction of all staff introducing our new digital learning platform

• Implementation of our first People Survey

• Creation of our first organisational Employee Forum

• Creation of new Service Standards supporting staff in their roles, developed in collaboration with customers and staff

4. Social Value:

• £12,904,357 before Must Win Battles

• £14,418,022 post Must Win Battles

To celebrate success of retaining and growing much valued staff and services; we are planning an annual staff event including awards, reviewing our recognition/reward scheme as well as staff benefits and hope to celebrate with UK Active through the 2024 Awards.

InspireAll may be a relatively small Leisure Trust, but we have a swimming leadership team with big hearts and big ambitions, who are student centric and driven to get children and adults engaged in learning to swim, the benefits of exercise and enhancing water safety.

The team committed to weekly performance management sessions that resulted in deeper analysis of their swim school performances, owning strategies to increase awareness, engagement, and retention. The team demonstrated great collaboration and the sharing of learnings and successes with each other, which together resulted in a record breaking 23/24 performance, exceeding financial targets and growing the scheme by 22% year-on-year.

Challenging budgets had been set but with an excellent start to the year that saw high volume of new swimmers enrolled, an ever-increasing average yield and only 0.04 % of lesson cancelled, an ‘aspirational budget’ target was set to challenge the team further. The teams embraced this challenge, resulting in additional revenue and further enhanced participation.

As the scheme grows and with pool space in high demand by all other aquatic users, the teams have overcome this challenge by being creative and have identified opportunities to open classes and redesign pool space and adjust lane usage as a result they continue to achieve the 85% occupancy targets, which in itself, deserves an award.

Most importantly it has been their ability to diversify their engagement opportunities to increase awareness and enrolment into the swim school and this life skill. For example, the bursary schemes to help reduce inequalities in areas of significant deprivation, educational projects around drowning prevention week and working with the local schools and nurseries, running water safety courses to deliver key safety messages and at the top end of the scheme adapting the aquatic activities to retain the hard to keep teenagers within the scheme.

And certainly not forgetting our adult learn to swim community: I am currently learning to swim. Many years ago we were taught swimming by being thrown into the pool and told to swim. I quickly became very scared to even try. Instructor James is very outgoing, friendly and has an intelligent method of teaching. His empathy and experience so far have made him an excellent Instructor. I have lost my fear of being in or near water, but most importantly I am learning to swim. I am a 58year old blind man and finally swimming is fun.

Three years ago, Jubilee Hall Trust faced imminent closure with just three months of cash reserves. We realised that to avoid failure, every aspect of our business needed meticulous management. I formed the Leadership Team (LT), which was tasked with specific areas across the trust, breaking away from our traditionally siloed structure. Each member took on additional responsibilities, focusing on data and trend analysis, business development, service and culture, and staff well-being.

Transparency was crucial. I shared all financial details so the team understood the critical stakes. Immediate cost-saving measures included a blanket recruitment freeze and not replacing departing staff. We reduced freelance instructor costs by upskilling existing staff to teach classes. To support this cultural shift, we implemented an inverted triangle of leadership, ensuring staff, now under more pressure, received emotional support from their managers.

The L.T met for a full day every month without fail. Each member presented updates on their focus areas, and we concluded with team-building activities to improve cohesion, resilience and a sense of community beyond salaries. Monthly 121 meetings, staff meetings, sports days, and social events were introduced to support junior staff and improve retention. We attended every industry event to network, learn, and engage with suppliers and other operators.

Our community-focused approach ensured that the most disadvantaged did not miss out on our services. When we lost a manager, our upskilled staff filled the gaps, with two new managers promoted from within.

Our efforts yielded significant financial results. We saved over £125k in freelance instructor costs and £75k in staffing costs. We reinvested £12k in staff socials, industry events, awards nights, birthdays, and special occasions. We partnered with companies like Speedflex, Peloton, and Hydrow to offer better value to customers at zero cost. We identified our churn rate, membership split, and yield patterns. All staff were trained in pricing, presenting, and selling, which increased live numbers from 60% of pre-COVID levels to 95%, all on higher-yield products. Our culture and well-being initiatives ensured that our people felt cared for and remained with us.

In just three years, we transformed from being on the brink of closure to achieving break-even status. Today, Jubilee Hall Trust remains open and has a promising future ahead. The L.T remained committed throughout and whilst we had our moments, I am so proud of their dedication and what they have achieved and believe they deserve this amazing award.