What We Offer

As a registered charity, we see our role not simply as a leisure contractor, but as a partner to the Council and other stakeholders within the local community.

We set out to have a positive impact on the local communities living around facilities we manage. Our objective is to deliver high quality sport, health and wellbeing services that are inclusive ad accessible to all without stigma or inequity. In particular we overcome barriers to participation, including socio-economic, age, gender, disability, cultural and ethnicity.

Our activities and initiatives can be summarised under the following headings:

• Investment 
• Affordability and equity of access
• Young people
• Disabled people
• Older people
• Community programmes

Investment

Over the past 3 years we have completed over £90M of investment with our partners and funding bodies such as Sport England & Heritage Lottery Fund. This programme has brought significant and improved amenities to our local communities, adding to the quality and variety of services that can enhance community wellbeing. 

We have re-instated 12 disused and dilapidated facilities, bringing to the local community new and enlarged swimming pools, health and fitness facilities, space & equipment for children’s activities, sports halls, outdoor sports facilities and cafés. We estimate that there will be an extra 5 million visits a year as a result.

The Brockwell Lido investment (2007) continues to add value to its locality bringing a wide range of sporting and non-sporting activities to a previously derelict site and driving an additional 250,000 visits a year. In 2011 Fusion commenced a similar redevelopment project at the Wycombe Rye Lido (formerly Holywell Mead Pool) in High Wycombe.

Affordability and Equity of Access

A concessionary pricing structure is in place across our portfolio to enable all those from disadvantaged and, or, low-income communities full access to our services. 30% (almost 2 million) visits and 30% (over 10,000) regular subscription customers are from hard to reach or low income backgrounds and enjoy concessionary prices. In addition, we operated a comprehensive range of targeted programmes in 2011, including:

• programmes within deprived areas to encourage participation
• Sporting Chances programme to provide free sporting activities for children
• free half terms and summer holiday activities for children, working in partnership with Help a London Child
• free access for looked-after children

Young People

Last Year Fusion generated 1.4 million visits from under 19s. Targeted activities included:

• sponsorship of young people in the London Youth Games and County Games
• teaching young people to swim (over 1.2 million individual swimming lessons and 0.4 million school swimming sessions)
• free swimming for under-16s 
• free weekly squash and racketball coaching sessions for young people
• free basketball academy sessions in local primary schools 

Disabled People

In 2011 we saw 0.2 million visits from disabled people. We have promoted our accessible facilities and activities with:

• free gym and pilates sessions and events on International Day for Disabled People
• taster days and free yoga, pilates and swimming sessions for carers
• support for young disabled people to set up and deliver disability sports, judo and table tennis clubs
• specialist swimming lessons and free swimming lessons for people with disabilities
• training for our staff in disability awareness.

Older People

In 2011 we saw 0.9 million visits from those over 60yrs. Activities support the awareness of our inclusivity for the older generations included:

• specialist 60+ activity sessions including swim, gym, class and a sports activity for a fixed price and encouraged alongside a social ‘club’ environment for our older customers
• free Swimming 
• targeted programmes including badminton, seated exercise classes, swimming lessons and rambling and walking groups

Community Programmes

We seek to promote sport and active leisure participation to the widest possible community, and to engage positively and inclusively with those who do not normally take part in active leisure. We carry out a vibrant programme of general-appeal events in all our sport and leisure centres. A selection of these from 2011 include:

• participation in national fund raising events such as Children in Need and Sports Relief
• participation in national awareness events such as No Smoking Day, World Mental Health Day and International Women’s Day
• participation in Black History Month with a season of classes & activities targeting black minority groups
• Swimathon 2011 saw 17 of our pools hosting the event for over 500 swimmers, raising £60,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care 
• free Olympics open weekends across the portfolio  with activities, master classes and sports coaching to celebrate the countdown to the 2012 Olympics.

Our approach to sports and community development is based on a number of core beliefs:

• Forming good partnerships and working collaboratively with local and national organisations
• Supporting local sports clubs
• Using sport as a diversionary activity to help reduce crime and disorder
• Helping the personal development of young people including promoting positive behaviour, confidence and improving educational attainment
• Making it easier for people to achieve healthier lifestyles
• Building social networks within communities
• Promoting equality in sport by encouraging those who traditionally have not taken part in sport to participate

Our sports and community development objectives:

• Innovative programming for all in the community, opening access to underrepresented groups
• Increasing participation
• Creating strong partnerships
• Developing the workforce with training and employment opportunities
• Supporting the growth of sport in the community
• Quality coaching programmes
• Promoting a healthy lifestyle
• Our communities can use our list of the National Governing Bodies of Sport.  

Fill out the form below to find out more about your sports and community development programme or to contact our sports and community team.