Everyone Active signs leisure joint venture with Sunderland City Council

Everyone Active, the trading name for Sports Leisure Management (SLM), has entered into a joint venture partnership with Sunderland City Council for nine leisure centres.

The arrangement– which will commence on 1st June 2015 – will see the formation of a Joint Venture Company (JVCo) comprising Sunderland City Council and Everyone Active representatives. Each organisation will have a 50 per cent stake. The new Joint Venture Company will develop the venues and help encourage participation in physical activity, sport and leisure among people of all ages and abilities.

Washington Leisure Centre

Having already invested £60m into sports and leisure facilities across the city since 2004, Sunderland City Council has invested a further £11.3 million into a brand new facility which is due to open in early summer 2015 including:

• A new 111 station, state-of-the-art fitness suite
• Dedicated group exercise and indoor cycling studios
• Six outdoor 3G pitches to be ready in November
• Four court sports hall
• Two squash courts
• A trampoline hall
• Two aqua slides
• 25m 6 lane pool and teaching pool

£4.2 million improvements

A further £4.2 million worth of improvements are being made across the other eight sites to improve the quality of leisure services and facilities for the local community. Major developments will take place at:

• Sunderland Aquatic Centre
• Raich Carter Sports Centre
• Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre
• Silksworth Sports Complex and Ski Centre

“We are looking forward to working with Sunderland City Council to develop existing facilities, create exciting new leisure spaces and ensure important participation, health and environmental targets are not only met but exceeded,” says Everyone Active Managing Director David Bibby. ”The partnership will strengthen our presence in the North of England and we hope to continue expanding into this region further in 2015 and beyond.”

Everyone Active will also be announcing a number of new job opportunities and an apprenticeship programme.

Councillor John Kelly, Sunderland City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Wellness and Culture, said “We’re very much looking forward to working with Everyone Active as our new joint venture partner. They’ve got a proven track record in working with local authorities and they share our commitment to increasing levels of activity across the city.”

www.everyoneactive.com