Pendle Leisure Trust celebrates 25th Anniversary

Pendle Leisure Trust was established on October 1, 2000. Before then, sport and leisure in the borough had come under the umbrella of Pendle Borough Council’s Leisure Services Department, formed in 1974.

Initially, the borough had modest leisure offerings: outdated swimming baths in Nelson and Colne, a few community halls and theatres, and basic sports pitches and events.

As facilities improved, pressure in the late 1990s to expand led councillors to consider establishing a trust.

Now, 25 years later, Pendle Leisure Trust stands proud as one of the country’s leading providers in health and well-being, striving to offer the people of Pendle the very best in fitness, arts, relaxation, and entertainment.

The list of facilities it manages on behalf of Pendle Borough Council includes Pendle Wavelengths, Pendle Leisure Centre, West Craven Sports Centre, Seedhill Athletics and Fitness Centre, The Muni Theatre, Inside Spa, Up and Active, The Good Life, and Arts for Wellbeing.

Pendle Leisure Trust is committed to providing lifestyle improvement / wellness opportunities to the community through the services which it provides, and our aim is to provide and manage a fully comprehensive range of top-quality leisure facilities which enhance the quality of life for the community, residents, workers, and visitors, with particular emphasis on improving the wellbeing of our whole community.

Over the last 25 years, we have achieved:

• A membership growth to over 4750 across the 4 sites
• We’ve welcomed over 13’000’000 customers through our doors.
• We have reduced annual electricity consumption by 40% and gas by 27%, saving over 2.5 million kWh each year—equivalent to 23 million kettle boils, 893 homes’ annual electricity, or 1.7 million car miles—cutting 484 tonnes of CO2e annually.
• We’ve had over 3000 performances at the Muni Theatre, ranging from our annual pantomimes to ballet, and sporting legends, to music royalty.
• More than 35’000 children and adults have benefited from our community projects.
• Our Up and Active team has helped over 20’000 individuals to access a tailored exercise programme to increase the amount of movement in their daily lives.

Simon Gwynne, Chief Executive of Pendle Leisure Trust, said: “It’s amazing to consider the Trust has been going for so long and impacted on so many people in the community in that time. The partnership with Pendle Borough Council and other local partners such as the PCNs, NGBs and community groups has been fundamental in this journey.  The work of all the amazing staff of the Trust and continued use by our loyal customers over the years has been essential in ensuring the organisation is still here today delivering for Pendle.

Councillor David Whipp, Leader of Pendle Borough Council, said: “Many congratulations to Pendle Leisure Trust for providing the people of Pendle and beyond with good quality leisure services for the last 25 years!

“The Trust has evolved tremendously over the last two and a half decades. In partnership with Pendle Borough Council, it continues to offer so many facilities and opportunities for people to exercise and spend their leisure time right on their doorstep.”

Pendle Borough Council’s Chief Executive, Dean Langton, added: “Healthy communities and providing sustainable leisure offeringsare priorities in the Council Plan.

“We congratulate Pendle Leisure Trust on this milestone and working with us to achieve our vision of providing quality facilities and services to help create healthy communities throughout the borough.”