Posted: Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:00
Leading bodies for health, sport, fitness and leisure urge Prime Minister to intervene as grassroots facilities face 'final straw' if energy relief ends
A coalition of more than 200 bodies and individuals* from the worlds of health, sport, recreation, and leisure has written to the Prime Minister with an urgent plea for greater support for grassroots facilities and clubs amid the ongoing energy crisis.
With energy costs relief for the UK's swimming pools, leisure centres, community facilities, and gyms ending on 31 March, thousands of facilities and clubs are at risk of permanent closure or reduced services, as public and private sector organisations of all sizes face unprecedented financial challenges, with bills remaining up to 200% higher than normal.
For public leisure operators running services within local authorities, the latest data from ukactive's members shows that 31% of council areas in England remain at risk of losing their leisure centre(s) or seeing reduced services at their leisure centre(s), from 1 April**, with around 350 facilities nationally already having seen service restrictions, temporary and permanent closures since October 2022.
The signatories of the letter range from major health bodies to sport's national governing bodies, and the nation's biggest fitness and leisure groups, while athletes such as Rebecca Adlington and celebrities including Davina McCall have also added their support.
The letter warns that, "Failure to identify bespoke support for the sector (and schools operating sports facilities) as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme will be the final straw for many facilities and services – especially swimming pools.
"Without national intervention, communities will see the loss of essential local services, including swimming lessons for children which are vital for water safety; multi-sport offerings; mental health services; bespoke programmes for older citizens, ethnically diverse communities, women and girls, and disabled people; and long-term health programmes including cancer rehabilitation and support for those with musculoskeletal conditions and type 2 diabetes."
Within the letter, the coalition calls for the Government to:
- Reclassify swimming pools as energy intensive as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme so they have access to the higher level of discount on energy prices.
- Set out what tangible support it will provide to the wider sector – including gyms, leisure centres, sports facilities, and clubs –to help navigate the energy crisis across 2023 so that service restrictions and facility closures can be minimised.
- Set out a "plan for growth" for the sector by aligning the proposed new Sports Strategy with the Spring Budget to unlock the potential of the sector to support the economic, health, educational and social wellbeing of the nation.
The letter was coordinated a group of bodies, including: Active Partnerships, the Association for Public Service Excellence, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, the Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association, Community Leisure UK, District Councils' Network, the Local Government Association, Sported, the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the Sport for Development Coalition, Swim England, the Swimming Teachers' Association, the Youth Sport Trust, and ukactive.
Andy Taylor, CEO of Active Partnerships said: "We know being active can transform people's lives, improving their physical and mental wellbeing. Many of our facilities providing activity opportunities and delivering these benefits are at the heart of local communities. It is therefore vital that we support facilities to not just survive but create the conditions for them to thrive in continuing to provide opportunities for people who are too often facing the greatest barriers to leading an active lifestyles."
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: "Over two hundred organisations and prominent individuals are united in urging the Government to safeguard essential community facilities across the country that remain under threat of service restrictions and closure, impacting people of all ages and backgrounds.
"Pools, gyms, leisure centres, and community facilities form part of our social fabric, and they are vital for our nation's health and the economy. Action must be taken to protect our facilities, and to help them recover and grow so they can in turn support the growth of a healthier, happier, more productive nation."
Jane Nickerson, Chief Executive of Swim England, said: "The breadth of organisations who have joined forces to send such a clear message to the Government demonstrates the hugely important role our pools and leisure centres play in supporting the health of the nation and the seriousness of the situation these facilities are facing as a result of hugely increased energy costs.
"It's vital they get the support they need so they can remain at the heart of local communities, helping people lead healthier and happier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS and social care system."
Read the full letter here. To support the sector, contact your MP with your concerns.
*The signatories:
Active Partnerships
Association for Public Service Excellence
Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity Community Leisure UK
Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association
District Councils' Network Local Government Association Sported
Sport and Recreation Alliance Sport for Development Coalition Swim England
Swimming Teachers' Association
Youth Sport Trust ukactive
1Life Management Solutions Abbeycroft Leisure
Active IQ Active Nation
Activity Alliance
Alliance Leisure Services Anytime Clubs UK Archery GB
Arthritis Action
Association of British Climbing Walls Atrium Fitness
Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Badminton England
Barnsley Premier Leisure Baseball Softball UK Basketball England
BH Live
Boccia England
British American Football Association
British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers British Canoeing
British Cycling British Dressage British Equestrian British Fencing British Gymnastics British Ice Skating
British Judo
British Mountaineering Council British Paralympic Association British Rowing
British Shooting British Showjumping
British Swimming Pool Federation British Taekwondo
British Triathlon
British Water Ski & Wakeboard British Weightlifting
British Wheelchair Basketball British Wrestling
Club Kingswood Code Fitness Coordinate Sport David Lloyd Leisure
Durham County Council Edinburgh Leisure Edstart Sports Coaching eGym GmBH
EMD UK
Endurance GB
England and Wales Cricket Board England Athletics
England Bowls England Boxing England Golf England Handball England Hockey England Lacrosse England Netball England Squash
English Indoor Bowling Association Everybody Health & Leisure
Fisikal
Fitness First Clubs Fitness4Less Freedom Leisure FTC Gym
Fusion Lifestyle GB Boxing Gladstone
GM Active
Goalball UK Good Boost
Great Britain Diving Federation Great Britain Outrigger
Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Greenhouse Sports
GLL
Halo Leisure
Hurlingham Polo Association InBody UK
InspireAll
International Longevity Centre UK Junior Adventure Group
Karate Union of Great Britain Keepme
Laban Guild International Leeds City Council – Sport Leisure-net Solutions Lifestyle Fitness Limbpower
Miha Bodytec
Mosaic Spa & Health Clubs
Move it or Lose it Move Technologies Myzone
North Lanarkshire Council Nuffield Health
Orbit4
Orthopaedic Research UK Outdoor Industry Association Parkour UK
Parkwood Leisure Pentathlon GB Places Leisure PureGym
Quartz Sequoia Events Richmond Group of Charities Rounders England
Royal Life Saving Society UK Royal Yachting Association Rugby Football League Rugby Football Union
Scottish Leisure Network Group Sense
Simply Smiles Skateboard GB
SLM Community Leisure Charity Trust SLM Health and Fitness
Snowsport England Snowsport Wales Sport Aberdeen Sport for Confidence Sports Leaders Squash Wales Stevenage Leisure Surfing England Swim Wales
Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association Table Tennis England
The Food Addiction Coach The Golf Foundation
The Gym Group
Thomas Pocklington Trust Total Fitness
Trilogy Active UK Athletics
UK Ultimate Vivify
Volleyball England Wales Golf
Wales Netball Water Babies
Watford FC Community Trust Welsh Athletics
Welsh Cycling Welsh Judo
Welsh Sports Association Welsh Triathlon
Women In Sport Women's Sport Collective Zoom Media
Rebecca Adlington OBE
Chemmy Alcott
Claire Cashmore MBE
Ed Clancy OBE
James Cracknell OBE
Ben Cutmore
Sharron Davies MBE
Laura Deas
Sam Downie
Mark Foster
Chelsie Giles
Luke Greenbank
Duncan Goodhew MBE
Mike Goody
Charlie Guest Michael Gunning
Alfie Hewett
Anna Hopkin MBE
Andy Jameson
Liz Johnson
Matty Lee MBE
Davina McCall
Scarlett Mew Jensen
Adrian Moorhouse MBE
Steve Parry MBE
Keri-Anne Payne
Jonnie Peacock MBE
Karen Pickering MBE
Scott Quin
Rebecca Redfern
Ellie Robinson MBE
Will Sach MBE
Kate Shortman
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix
Alice Tai MBE
Leon Taylor
Iwan Thomas
Daley Thompson CBE
Isabelle Thorpe
Dr Mike Tipton MBE
Lloyd Wallace David Weir CBE
Professor Greg Whyte OBE
Marc Woods
Melanie Woods
** Risk register assessment survey conducted by the ukactive Research Institute with ukactive public sector leisure operator members. Responses were received from 21 national and multi-site operators, representing 35% of all UK council areas (February 2023)