“Ladywood Leisure Centre is a fantastic resource for local residents. In the period it’s been open I have noticed a change in the local area whether that’s a reduction in anti-social behaviour or a general change in attitude to lifestyle and fitness. The community has benefitted massively since the centre has opened.”

Daniel Meese, Police Community Support Officer, Ladywood

Ladywood in Birmingham is one of the most deprived regions in the UK, with low employment and high rates of childhood poverty. Opening a brand-new leisure facility in this area would bring fresh challenges, but by focusing on the needs of the local community, offering sessions that they could afford at times they could attend, we have managed to create a genuine grassroots success story, utilising an inclusive approach, while never forgetting that this is a commercial venture that needs to pay its way.

Before the centre even opened, our on-site team were working with employment agencies to set up a recruitment Open Day, only available to Ladywood residents. Hundreds attended the event, many of whom were long-term unemployed, but when Ladywood opened its doors, it could boast that over 50% of its staff were people from the local area, which has helped greatly in getting ‘buy in’ from the people in this region.

Offering a suite of free and subsidised sessions means this centre is able to offer the residents of Ladywood the opportunity to stay active in a state-of-the-art facility, which may have seemed out of their budget range when they first saw the impressive building go up.

At Ladywood, we have achieved the golden combination: a centre used by local people of all demographics offering subsidised access to a high-quality facility, while managing to keep revenue lines growing all the time. Pre-COVID swimming lesson numbers have recently been smashed, casual swimming is up on pre-2020, the list goes on.

One final element we’re very proud of at Ladywood is how we’ve opened up and promoted the free use of our Community Room, where we house all manner of different sessions, from dance classes to a base for the local chess club. Many leisure centres claim they’re a community hub, but at Ladywood Leisure Centre that claim is a reality.

Building on the success of an initiative which kicked off in 2024, Serco Leisure has expanded its programme of free to attend, after dark running/walking clubs in support of the Sport England/This Girl Can ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’ campaign.

Let’s Lift the Curfew launched in October 2023 to help address the safety concerns, which cause many women to alter how and when they exercise during evening hours in the winter months.

Research from TGC has shown that nearly 72% of women change their outdoor activity routines in winter due to safety fears. This research also revealed that 24% of women choose well-lit routes, 23% avoid certain areas, and 20% regularly check behind them while exercising after dark.

In 2024, the first Serco Leisure-operated centre to offer Let’s Lift the Curfew was quite appropriately the Sport England-owned Bisham Abbey. The abbey team were soon joined by sessions in Kent, Mansfield and Aylesbury. But for 2025, the after-dark sessions will be available across the Serco Leisure estate.

The free sessions were added to our Active Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which was developed by Sarah Berne, who leads on active wellbeing nationally for the business. Sarah said: “These sessions are about more than fitness - they’re about empowerment, visibility, and community. “From winter 2025, we’ll be looking to offer Let’s Lift the Curfew sessions in every region Serco Leisure operates. The feedback from attendees last year showed a real appetite and need for something like this, so we’re proud to be expanding our programme.

“These sessions are designed to offer a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment, led by trained health and fitness staff. Participants are also provided with high-visibility gear to ensure everyone can be safely seen during their walk or run.

“Let’s Lift the Curfew is now a fixed part of our active wellbeing programme, which means we’re offering it this year, next year and every year until something like this just isn’t needed anymore, as the perceived ‘curfew’ some women feel has been lifted.”

Steve Nelson, Director of Leisure at Serco, emphasised the importance of the campaign: “Dark nights should not mean anyone has to miss out on the many physical and mental health benefits of staying active. We’re proud to support This Girl Can’s ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’ campaign and help make outdoor exercise accessible year-round.”

The campaign not only promotes physical activity but also fosters cultural awareness around women’s safety. Through thoughtful programming, Serco Leisure is helping to lift the curfew - both literally and figuratively - on women’s access to safe, outdoor exercise.