Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) has appointed Chris Wright in the new role of Head of Health and Leisure.
Chris, aged 48, from Chesterfield, joins the Trust from Chesterfield Borough Council, where he worked as a Sport and Leisure Manager, and he brings a lifetime of leisure experience with him.
Chris said: “I’m thrilled to be joining DCLT. This is a really forward-thinking Trust, and they manage some great facilities. A number of the venues they manage have recently been refurbished, including Rossington Leisure Centre and Askern Leisure Centre, so it is a fantastic time to join and see the difference that these community venues can make.
“I’ve spent my entire working life in sport and leisure, I was a competitive swimmer and as such, spent much of my waking day in and around leisure centres. It was a natural progression for me to take a lifeguarding course to earn money while I was at college and then at university studying Sport and Leisure.
“I’m proud to say that I’ve worked in most roles across leisure from reception and pool lifeguarding to duty officer and looked after children’s grassroots activities.”
Chris, who has twins aged 13, has worked for Chesterfield local authority for the past nine years, with the past 18 months as a sport and leisure manager.
“This role is new for the Trust, and it is important that it includes health in the title. There is a real shift in society to focus on health and find ways to lessen the impact on the NHS by improving people’s health and wellbeing.
“I’m really looking forward to exploring ways that we can help people from all the communities that we serve to be more physically active and am looking at key initiatives to get people moving, be that swimming sessions for people with autism or activities for people living with cancer.
“For me there is nothing better than seeing the enjoyment on someone’s face when they’ve done some kind of physical activity or achieved something they didn’t think they could do, be that a child doing a roll in the pool or someone living with cancer cycling round a track, its priceless,” added Chris.
Practising what he preaches, Chris took part in a 350-mile road cycling challenge last year, raising more than £2000 for charity. This year he’ll be back in the water, taking part in the one-mile Great North Swim in Windermere to raise money for Ashgate Hospice.
Chris Hone, chief operating officer at DCLT said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Chris to DCLT. He not only brings a great deal of experience with him but also has huge amount of passion for sport, health and fitness.
“We are looking forward to working with Chris to implement new initiatives and access to activities across our portfolio of venues.”
For further information visit www.dclt.co.uk
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