Places Leisure

🌟 We were thrilled to welcome BBC News to Riverside Leisure Centre in Norfolk to shine a spotlight on our Cancer Rehab programme! 🌟   In partnership with Big C Cancer Charity, these weekly sessions provide a safe, supportive space for members of our Communities who have been affected by cancer. Whether it's before or after diagnosis, we’re here to help participants on their journey to recovery - boosting physical and mental wellbeing every step of the way. 💪🧡   A special shoutout to Fitness Manager David Lane, whose passion brought this programme to life! As David shared with BBC Radio Norfolk, this initiative has been a long-standing dream of his, and now it’s making a real difference in People’s lives. 🙌 Cancer takes a huge toll, and we know that generic exercise plans aren’t always enough. That’s why bespoke programmes like this are so important - helping participants rebuild strength, share experiences over a cuppa, and find their Community. ☕💬   Check out the full story here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMq2gSh5   #WeAreCommunity #BecauseCommunityMatters #CancerRehab Image credit: Paul Moseley

We’re thrilled to have sponsored the Young Sports Personality of the Year Award at this year’s Active Suffolk Awards - huge congratulations to Will Ellard for a well-deserved win! 🎉👏 This incredible event brings together athletes, organisations, volunteers, and clubs to celebrate achievements in local sport and physical activity. From showcasing rising stars to highlighting Community projects making a difference, it’s an inspiring reminder of the power of sport to build healthier, happier, and stronger Communities. Here’s to continuing the momentum in 2025! 💪 Active Suffolk #ASA24 #ActiveSuffolkAwards #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity

This Remembrance Sunday, we will honour and remember those who have served our country. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who have sacrificed, as well as the People who continue to serve. #LestWeForget #RemembranceSunday

Ensuring that everyone who learns to swim with us can gain important, life saving water safety skills from the best facilities and People is vital for us, that's why we're investing in our swimming teachers. 🧡 Developing highly skilled teachers is a pressing matter, so our new five-year partnership with Swim England and the Institute of Swimming will look at aquatic workforce development and provide support to our People who are involved in delivering swimming lessons. Mark Haslam, our Head of Swimming and Sports, says it best: “With Swim England research showing that more and more children and young people are missing out on the opportunity to have swimming lessons due to a lack of teachers, there has never been more urgency to develop highly skilled teachers...with our experienced and dedicated workforce, we are best placed to work with Swim England and the Institute of Swimming so all children and adults across our Communities have the opportunities they deserve.” Read more about the news here 👉 https://lnkd.in/diQS8Bxy #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity

We've loved partnering with Women in Sport for their #TimeTogether campaign again this year! 💪   There is so much power in the bonding opportunities that come from mums and mum-like figures making time to get active with their daughters or daughter-like figures. Throughout the last couple of weeks, we've enjoyed gathering stories from them and seeing the fun, laughter, and special memories that arise from exercising together - it's what #TimeTogether is all about.   Women in Sport's research shows that 64% of girls will have quit sport by the time they finish puberty and 38% of women aged 45-55 do not meet recommended activity guidelines, so amplifying the value of an active lifestyle for girls and midlife women has never been so important. Encouraging better relationships with exercise will help drive a healthier, more active future for the next generation of girls too! 🧡   Meet our mum and daughter duos who have found positive, active ways to spend #TimeTogether: https://lnkd.in/ejE4dYcy   #ItsNeverTooLate #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity

Giving my daughter the opportunities I didn’t have 💬 Meet Sukanya and Annah – a powerhouse duo redefining the typical narrative of what a mum-daughter relationship looks like. Growing up with three sisters, Sukanya didn’t have many opportunities to play; sport was school PE, and that was it. But as a mum, she’s changing the game for her daughter. Annah took up cricket, following in her older brother’s footsteps, and now plays at county level. With two cricket-loving kids, Sukanya has spent many hours at the local cricket club and has even started playing herself. Sukanya’s journey of rediscovering sport through her daughter’s passions has been a chance to create a sense of belonging in sport that she has never felt before. Their story goes to show that it’s never too late to try something new – you never know, you just might love it!💕 Want to try out something new with to spend active #TimeTogether with your daughter? Check out our website to find out more: https://lnkd.in/exGYgAsk #TimeTogether #ItsNeverTooLate Places Leisure

Jaime's journey to a healthier lifestyle at our Morpeth Sports and Leisure Centre is a great example of how exercise routines can evolve with life changes. 🧡 She started with regular swimming sessions and Aquafit classes at the centre, then after her first child was born, she adapted her routine to include baby yoga and Mams on the Move classes! With the support of the Morpeth team and facilities, Jaime has significantly improved her physical and mental health while setting a healthy example for her kids. She says it best: "Take your time and change one thing at a time. It's a marathon, not a sprint." You can learn more about her inspiring journey with us here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eCXEaSHg #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity

Join us for 5 minutes with Ben Senior, the General Manager at Maltby Leisure Centre, one of our places in Rotherham! 👇 How did you get into your role? “I first started coming to Maltby Leisure Centre to train, after training here for a good number of years I decided I really wanted to pursue a career in leisure. I was really getting down having to go to the job centre and mindlessly applying for roles, and then I got a call offering me a multi-skilled apprenticeship. I then progressed through many different roles including, Lifeguard, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer, Membership Advisor, Contract Marketing Manager, Membership Manager, Duty Manager, Operations Manager and now General Manager.” What makes Places Leisure a great place to work? “It’s such a fantastic and varied place to work, with People from all walks of life I am proud to say I have made some lifelong friends during my time in leisure. My entire team all have their individual duties that they all look to excel at, they consistently strive to go above and beyond their responsibilities.” What are you looking forward to in your future with Places Leisure? “The role has evolved a lot since I became a General Manager back in 2022. The additional support offered by Places for People has left us with more of a guide and overall support within our working Community, this is part of the role I really enjoy. I can see this continuing further; I would love to progress to a Contract Manager role in the future and continue my career. We’re seeking to become the country's leading social enterprise, which is also something I look forward to taking part in.” #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity

Meet Rachel and Rosie 👋 The mother-daughter duo stepped their physical activity up a notch at Wath-Upon-Dearne Leisure Centre, one of our centres in Rotherham, after Rosie found a love for swimming thanks to Sport England’s This Girl Can swimming initiative. When Rachel saw how much Rosie enjoyed the water, she joined in on some swimming sessions too! Fast forward to now, their mother-daughter activities have broadened to group workout classes and gym sessions. 💪 Rachel and Rosie have gained more than just quality time, they’ve noticed their active time together has brought them improved physical & mental health, and even some new friends at the centre. 🧡 In case you missed it, we’re teaming up with Women in Sport again this year for their #TimeTogether campaign. Seeing Rachel and Rosie making memories while they get active at one of our places is what #TimeTogether is all about! You can read their full story and find out more about #TimeTogether here: https://lnkd.in/ebkJUhzh #ItsNeverTooLate

Here at Places Leisure, we're proud to be supporting the We Are Undefeatable movement who inspire People with long-term health conditions to get active. Our Exercise Referral programme provides the opportunity to get active in a safe and welcoming environment, whilst also encouraging long-term behaviour change, as seen with one of our inspiring members, Jakki. Jakki became inactive due to painful Arthritis. There was a time where she could only manage a few steps and stand up for a couple of minutes, leading her to socialise less and lose a lot of self-confidence. That all changed for the better when she was referred to our Exercise Referral programme through her Physiotherapist. She was anxious to get started, but her nerves soon washed away after she got into Aquafit! 🥳 "I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and great fun. I was amazed at how much I could move in the water and that felt so good after so much inactivity." she says. For Jakki, this was only the start! Along with loving Aquafit, she now goes to the gym twice a week, walks her grandchildren to school (and even dances with them from time to time!), and has made so friends at her local centre along the way. 🧡 You can learn more about our Exercise Referral programme here: https://lnkd.in/dsUbW7WX #BecauseCommunityMatters #WeAreCommunity