Freedom Leisure, one of the UK’s leading not-for-profit leisure trusts that manages over 120 leisure and cultural facilities on behalf of client partners, has today announced the merger with fellow not-for-profit trust 1610 that manages four health and wellbeing centres in the West Country.
Over recent years, the public leisure sector has been presented with many significant challenges including the cost of living and energy crises which has affected the financial viability of certain leisure trusts leading to some ceasing trading and leisure centres being mothballed across the UK.
1610, although a well-established and viable leisure trust, decided to conduct a full independent review of its charitable functions. Following this process, a preferred partner was selected – Freedom Leisure. The partnership will see 1610 becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Freedom Leisure, giving 1610 far greater access to support and resources so that it can better support its local communities.
This new partnership will see 1610 continue to trade in its own right, it will very much be business as usual across the four leisure centres currently operated by 1610 including:
The staff at sites and across 1610 will remain the same as will the many exciting and popular programmes and activities.
Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure’s CEO said; “We are delighted to be entering this partnership with 1610 and we are looking forward to sharing our experiences and best practices and providing 1610 with improved economies of scale so they can continue to deliver the high-quality products and services in the West Country to the benefit of the local community.
Ivan continued; “It was important for us to align with an organisation that shares our mission of “improving lives through leisure” and we are looking forward to working in partnership in a collaborative way with a forward thinking and progressive genuine not-for-profit leisure trust like ourselves.
“We are acutely aware of the challenges leisure trusts have faced in recent years but we have managed to navigate the complexities of the current economic climate with prudence and strategic planning. Our astute financial management has enabled us to maintain stability whilst continuing to invest in the long-term future of our centres and the products and services we provide and it is our hope that 1610 and other leisure trusts facing the same complex decisions on their futures can benefit from this approach.”
The Chief Executive of 1610, Ricky Hayes said “We are really excited to join forces with Freedom Leisure, who share many of our values and our ethos. My colleagues at 1610 have worked incredibly hard over the last 12 months to improve the service 1610 provide and drive community output but we are also well aware that we cannot stand still and need to evolve so that we can continue to deliver the best possible service to our communities. With many shared values and certainly a shared vision we really believe that by working with Freedom Leisure we can achieve more.”
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