Health is a national asset that drives prosperity at an individual and collective level. Alliance Leisure CEO, Sarah Watts, explains how the organisation is supporting communities through the reimagining of public sector leisure

Working through the UK Leisure Framework, we’re partnering with local authorities across the UK to design and build place-based active environments that engage and inspire whole communities.

Since 1999, Alliance Leisure – the UK’s leading leisure development specialist – has delivered numerous regeneration projects, often involving transformation across entire leisure portfolios. Projects completed and in progress include the delivery of 12 new-build leisure venues from concept through to completion.

Creating brand new facilities
White Oak Leisure Centre, owned by Sevenoaks District Council and managed by Everyone Active, is a prime example of the value a modern-day, place-based activity and wellness hub can deliver.

In addition to offering a diverse range of physical activity options for all ages and abilities, the centre also incorporates a number of community health services, from GP referral programmes to free access and support for those living with Parkinson’s disease.

The centre is also helping to level up disparities by offering free access to those who might otherwise struggle to engage – including children in care and Ukrainian refugees – while also running campaigns such as This Girl Can and forming strong community links with primary schools to encourage more activity from targeted groups.

Completed in 2022, the centre has become the heartbeat of the community, with 440,000 visits recorded in the 12 months post-opening. This included 180,000 swims, 31,000 swimming lessons and 53,000 visits to the soft play area and the TAGactive Arena.

The art of the possible
All Alliance Leisure developments are built on the foundation of community needs.

Facilities are designed to tackle inequalities, creating inclusive environments that answer the needs of everyone – old and young, able and disabled, fit and unfit, healthy and unwell.

Through a mix of technological innovation, proven project experience and more than 600 years of combined leisure knowledge, Alliance Leisure is reimagining public sector leisure, creating environments that bring communities together while also instilling a sense of civic pride.

From sensory stimulating splash pads and digital, gamification adventure play zones to immersive cycle studios, aspirational training spaces and power-assisted wellbeing suites, Alliance Leisure is creating a new standard in leisure provision.

Why choose Alliance Leisure?
With over 20 years of leisure development experience and more than 220 projects under its belt, Alliance Leisure has worked with local authorities to deliver more than £300m of investment in public sector leisure.

In addition to independent projects the company is also the lead leisure developer on the UK Leisure Framework, which is managed by Denbighshire Leisure. Through this – the UK’s only dedicated leisure framework – Alliance Leisure continues to provide local authorities with efficiencies and leisure-specific expertise at all levels of the supply chain, mitigating investment risk and optimising every penny spent, making the company the leisure developer of choice for the sector.

More: www.allianceleisure.co.uk