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GLL
As the UK’s leading provider of both leisure centres and libraries, GLL operate nearly 400 locations all helping to make a real difference to local communities and local people.
Find out more about GLL here...
Find out more about GLL here...
GLL: News and press releases
PRESS RELEASE: Pioneering project boosts business in Basingstoke
18 Apr 2024
A sports complex might not be your first thought when you’re looking for a peaceful and
comfortable, drop-in workspace. However, that could soon change thanks to an innovative new
project at Basingstoke Leisure Centre.
PRESS RELEASE: ‘Better’ managers get a ‘taste’ for volunteering
10 Apr 2024
The management team from ‘Better’ leisure centres in the Lewisham area is looking for local
projects that need a helping hand.
PRESS RELEASE: Sponsored swimmer supporting friend in need
10 Apr 2024
Reading resident Tash Young is launching a sponsored swim on April 15 to raise money for a
dear friend who is suffering from cancer.
PRESS RELEASE: GLL retains contract to provide Dudley’s library service
22 Mar 2024
Dudley borough’s libraries and archives service will continue to be provided by GLL
(Greenwich
Leisure Limited) until November 2030.
22 Mar 2024
GLL has partnered with national charity Carers UK, in support of its ‘Carers Active April’
campaign.
PRESS RELEASE: Lee Valley VeloPark announces cutting edge gym with over half a million pound investment
14 Mar 2024
Lee Valley VeloPark has announced a new state of the art health and fitness suite, thanks to
a significant investment of more than £500,000 from Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
14 Mar 2024
The UK’s leading leisure and cultural charitable staff-owned trust, which runs services
under the Better brand, is due to start an exciting new 10 year partnership with Newham
Council that promises to increase physical activity levels and improve the customer
experience for residents in one of London’s fastest growing boroughs.
PRESS RELEASE: Leisure operator GLL and Diabetes UK to work together on 2024 fundraising initiatives
05 Mar 2024
Social enterprise and leisure operator GLL has this week announced plans to work alongside
leading health charity Diabetes UK, to support two of the charity’s fundraising initiatives
–
Swim22 and the One Million Step challenge – by helping to raise awareness, encourage
participation and improve the health and fitness of those taking part.
PRESS RELEASE: GLL and Pickleball England launch leap year taster day
26 Feb 2024
As part of a partnership with Better, the charitable social enterprise that operates leisure
centres across the UK, Pickleball England has announced that they will be offering free
pickleball taster sessions this February 29th, as part of a nationwide campaign to encourage
the public to get active on the extra day of the year.
PRESS RELEASE: LLDC awards GLL new contract to continue as operator of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Copper Box Arena
23 Feb 2024
A decade on from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London Legacy Development
Corporation (LLDC) has appointed charitable social enterprise GLL, the operating contract for
the Copper Box Arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; continuing to build on the venue’s hugely
successful legacy.
PRESS RELEASE: GLL bags a brace of nominations at London Sport Awards 2024
25 Jan 2024
GLL – the largest public leisure operator in London – has been shortlisted for two entries
in the London Sport Awards 2024.
23 Jan 2024
The UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – the GLL Sport Foundation Awards –
closes its application window on 20 February.
About GLL
Daryll Neita, GLL Athlete who secured a bronze in the women’s 100m and a silver in the 4x4 100m relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games / GLL
Our purpose is to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of local communities.
As the UK’s leading provider of both leisure centres and libraries we operate nearly 400 locations all helping to make a real difference to local communities and local people.
Every penny that GLL makes is reinvested back into the business to support our social purpose. www.gll.org
Background/History
GLL was formed as a ‘spin out’ from Greenwich Council’s Leisure Department in 1993 – starting with just seven leisure facilities.
We are a staff owned charitable social enterprise – a leisure provider that follows a different, fairer and better way of doing business.
We are proud to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.
Key products and services
GLL operates over leisure, health, libraries and sports and legacy development.
GLL’s position as sport and leisure’s leading charitable social enterprise is built upon a solid foundation of services we provide to partners, key stakeholders and customers.
GLL helps build active and sustainable communities through partnership working. We work to a social agenda and are committed to providing accessible community facilities for all. We believe in offering value for money.
Our services are wide ranging and offer current and potential partners a range of solutions and options for enhanced service delivery, increased value for money and tangible added value through social value measurement and reporting.
We’ve been operating leisure centres since 1993 – since 2014 under our customer facing brand “Better” www.better.org.uk, and it’s probably what we’re best known for.
We are the UK’s largest public pools and public libraries provider – and the biggest provider of school swimming lessons.
USPs
We are the largest charitable leisure social enterprise in the UK, celebrating 30 years in 2023.
We operate the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – The GLL Sport Foundation https://www.gllsportfoundation.org/ Celebrating 15 years in 2023 under our Patron Sally Gunnell, the Foundation has supported 24,000 athletes on their sporting journey since its inception in 2008, resulting in dozens of medals at international competition including Commonwealth Games, Olympics and Paralympics.
We are the UK’s largest public libraries operator – in 2023 celebrating 10 years of offering some of the best-used libraries in the country.
We are rooted in local communities, at the heart of health and wellbeing.
We produce impressive amounts of social value (£350m in 2022) – across a range of measures from physical and mental health to subjective wellbeing, to individual development and social and community development.
We operate some of the most iconic legacy facilities in the UK including the Manchester Aquatic Centre, London Aquatic Centre, Copper Box Arena and since 2022 – the London 2012 Olympic venues of the Lee Valley Regional Park.
GLL
Address:
Middlegate House,
The Royal Arsenal,
London,
SE18 6SX,
UK
Peter Bundey, chief executive officer
GLL video gallery:
Key personnel
Peter Bundey, chief executive officer
Phil Donnay, deputy ceo
Mark Sesnan, OBE, chief officer and special adviser
Phil Donnay, deputy ceo
Mark Sesnan, OBE, chief officer and special adviser
Key customers
Companies we work with include Annodata, Physical Company, Technogym, Change Please and Divine Chocolate.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include Greenwich Council, Belfast City Council, Cardiff City Council, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, LLDC, ukactive, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, Swim England and Sport England.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include Greenwich Council, Belfast City Council, Cardiff City Council, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, LLDC, ukactive, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, Swim England and Sport England.
Plans for the next 12 months
Continue the strong bounce back from Covid, growing membership and sales.
Reducing barriers to participation by maintaining our concessions and Kids for a Quid scheme.
Partnering with UK Active, Community Leisure UK, the LGA, RLSS, Swim England and SEUK lobbying central and local government for financial support to meet the ‘existential threat’ to public leisure operators from utility price rises.
Reducing barriers to participation by maintaining our concessions and Kids for a Quid scheme.
Partnering with UK Active, Community Leisure UK, the LGA, RLSS, Swim England and SEUK lobbying central and local government for financial support to meet the ‘existential threat’ to public leisure operators from utility price rises.
Testimonial
“We made the decision to begin supporting the GLL Sport Foundation in 2015, and it is a pleasure to announce the renewal of our sponsorship with this incredible institution.
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
Testimonial
"I am so thankful for the support I have received from GLL Sport Foundation. My first individual medal ever is extremely special, and I would not be here if it wasn’t for the support, I have received from the GLL ‘family’.”
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
Testimonial
"This exciting new chapter cements the future of our six key sports venues and is part of our commitment to the many communities we serve far and wide. We have carefully structured this partnership with GLL to ensure that visitors will continue to enjoy the very best in these stellar, highly popular venues. We look forward to together creating exciting new programmes and activities that draw on the strengths of both organisations.
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
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