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£183,000 Boost to Help our Facilities Reopen

Thursday, 25th March 2021


Pendle Council has been awarded just over £183,000 Sport England’s National Leisure Recovery Fund to financially support its leisure operator – Pendle Leisure Trust - in reopening its facilities next month.

The money will support Pendle Wavelengths, Pendle Leisure Centre, West Craven Sports Centre and Seedhill Athletics and Fitness Centre with reopening their doors on April 12th, if stage 2 of the Government’s roadmap goes according to plan.

The pools and gyms at Pendle Wavelengths, Pendle Leisure Centre and West Craven Sports Centre will reopen on Monday, April 12th along with the gym and track at Seedhill Athletics and Fitness Centre and the Feelgood Factory at Pendle Leisure Centre.

Children’s swimming lessons and beauty treatments at Inside Spa are also ear-marked to re-open on 12th April as part of the Government’s planned roadmap out of lockdown.

And on Monday May 17th, Pendle Leisure Trust is planning for Inside Spa’s Wellness Experience to re-open and fitness classes, organised indoor sports and pool-based classes to resume.

Dean Langton, Chief Executive of Pendle Council said:

It’s great news that Pendle Council is one of 266 local authorities across England to receive the funding which our partner, Pendle Leisure Trust, will use to re-open much-missed facilities after lockdown.

It will make a huge difference to Pendle people who will be able to use the fantastic facilities Pendle Leisure Trust runs, including swimming pools, gyms and Inside Spa,” he said.

Details about the Government’s roadmap can be found via Pendle Council’s website: https://www.pendle.gov.uk/coronavirus

The Government funding is designed to make sure public sector leisure facilities and services can re-open safely after lockdown to enhance people’s health and well-being, support physical activity and reduce obesity.

Pendle Leisure Trust’s Chief Executive, Alison Goode, said: “On behalf of Pendle Council, we are delighted our application to receive this money was successful.

Throughout this pandemic, the one thing that has been made perfectly clear is the importance of physical activity for people’s health and well-being.

It is especially relevant in this part of the country where poor health and obesity are factors,” she said.

We provide these leisure facilities for every member of Pendle’s community and we want everyone to take advantage of them,” she stressed.

The Government’s National Leisure Recovery Fund opened in December 2020 and is managed by Sport England to help the leisure sector successfully reopen.

Sport England’s Chief Executive, Tim Hollingsworth, said:

Leisure facilities have a vital role to play in supporting the health of the nation and in particular in serving our more disadvantaged communities.

They have been hit especially hard over the past year, so this investment is crucial and will help with reopening.” 

Find out more about reopening plans here.