Freedom Leisure’s Environment and Sustainability Team has been named Energy Management Team of the Year, recognising their exceptional leadership, innovation and measurable success in reducing energy use and carbon emissions across the organisation’s national portfolio of leisure centres.
Presented as part of the Energy Managers Association’s annual awards, this accolade honours teams that demonstrate outstanding collaboration, technical expertise and proven impact in improving energy efficiency.
Judges praised Freedom Leisure for its strategic, data-driven approach to energy management and its success in embedding sustainability into daily operations across more than 130 sites in England and Wales.
Led by Chief Operating Officer Matt Wickham and Head of Environment and Sustainability Angela Brown, the award-winning team unites environmental, energy and technical specialists who work closely with both central and operational colleagues. Together they have built a culture of accountability, innovation and empowerment that ensures every member of staff contributes to greater energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Freedom Leisure’s energy management programme includes:
As a result, Freedom Leisure has achieved:
Freedom Leisure is also the first leisure trust in the UK to be certified as a Carbon Literate Organisation, underlining its pioneering role in placing sustainability at the heart of public leisure operations.
“This award is a fantastic recognition of the dedication, creativity and technical expertise within our team,” said Angela Brown, Head of Environment and Sustainability. “Our mission is to make energy efficiency part of everyday operations; protecting the environment while supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities. We are incredibly proud to see that commitment recognised nationally.”
As one of the UK’s largest not-for-profit leisure trusts, managing facilities on behalf of 28 local authority partners, Freedom Leisure has demonstrated that responsible energy management delivers both environmental and social value, reducing emissions and costs while keeping community facilities accessible and affordable.
Matt Wickham, Chief Operating Officer, added: “This award highlights the vital role leisure organisations can play in supporting the UK’s Net Zero journey. We remain committed to continuous improvement by investing in people, technology and partnerships to build a more sustainable future for all.”
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