HALO LEISURE
HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY - DECEMBER 2019 A leading Social Enterprise & Leisure Trust driving community health & wellbeing
OUR VISION. OUR MISSION. THE YEAR THAT WAS 2019 As we neared the end of the financial year that was 2019, we had much to celebrate. We had, throughout that year, focused on what we do best – that vision to ‘Create Healthier Communities’ and our mission to make a ‘Sustainable and positive difference by encouraging physical activity and healthier lifestyles’. We knew that was the only way to challenge and beat off the rising competition. At the start of 2019 competition from global brands had exploded. We’d seen the growth of budget priced gyms springing up in the areas where we operate. Anything that gets more people more active is good in our books, but – make no mistake – we started the year ready to fight for our share of the market and all the people we reach with our special mix of services. We are #MoreThanJustaGym and help people to feel the benefits of building physical activity into their lives in more ways than it’s possible to convey in one report (though the stories that follow give you a taste) and which is evidenced by the thousands of customers who walk through our doors every day. But our ambition is to do more. So in the face of that rising competition, we put laser-sharp focus on our grassroots thinking and celebrated and showcased what we are about – what we are really good at. What we are about and what we are really good at (and what we got even better at during 2019) is delivering fine sports and fitness facilities for those who want to work out or wind down, get and keep active, play racket or team sports or train for national and international competitions. We saw over half a million gym sessions
and even more visits to our pools in 2019, and some 325,000 workouts in our 20,000 plus group exercise classes during this year. Crucially, though, this is all wrapped up in a package that makes those same facilities accessible to those who face barriers to participation, and which delivers great social benefits, like sports lessons for young people (more than 19,000 in all, with 14,000 classes delivered by Halo’s Swim School), dementia-friendly activities to support families, specialised facilities to provide work outs for those who are struggling with ill health and mobility, and partnerships with GPs (they referred nearly 2000 people to us during the year) to prevent health problems in a way that not only transforms lives but saves the health service millions. In short Halo Leisure has a way of working that strikes a balance between community and commercial. We challenge competition, but never forget about our role as a registered charity and social enterprise or compromise on our ambition for local communities to enjoy physical activity. It is the secret of our success, and crucial to our sustainability. As we ended the financial year and launched into January 2020 we had our greatest ever month on record for attracting new customers to our facilities. Of course, what happened next is the story of 2020 and not the focus of this report. But we know – as we write and as you read – that first there were the floods, and then there was the pandemic and a subsequent national fight for survival by sports and leisure facilities across the UK. The lockdowns led to a crucial conversation about their vital place in community life and community mental and physical health. We were glad to see – we encouraged and supported – home-based exercising during lockdowns, but we also knew (we hear our customers say this all the time) that Halo offers something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Exercising with the support of fitness professionals and exercising alongside others delivers the power of connection, supports the longevity of exercise, and therefore
people’s mental and physical health. We, like other operators, are fighting for recognition of that, and for our continued role in providing it: for recognition that for every pound invested by the Government in sports and leisure now, there’ll be a five fold saving to the public purse in the future. But what is relevant in this report is the work we did in 2019, work that I am proud to say put us in a good place for what we were about to face in 2020. We hope you enjoy this review and want to thank you for your support during 2019 and through everything that has happened since.
DID YOU KNOW Halo is a registered charity and social enterprise It’s something we are very proud of. This means we don’t have shareholders—any profit is ploughed back into the services we deliver to our local communities.
#PeopleBeforeProfit
Scott Rolfe CEO
JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS In 2019 we saw a total participation in activities of
2,720,574 AND THAT CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING, MORE PEOPLE MORE ACTIVE MORE OFTEN!
WE CELEBRATED:
21,021
MEMBERS ACROSS OUR 20 CENTRES IN BRIDGEND COUNTY, HEREFORDSHIRE, SHROPSHIRE AND WILTSHIRE. THAT INCLUDED 12,059 NEW ADULT MEMBERS WHO SAID HELLO TO HALO IN 2019
644,006 63,000 VISITS TO OUR POOLS &
14,461 PUPILS ON OUR ‘LEARN TO SWIM’ PROGRAMME
SPORTS LESSONS DELIVERED TO 19,786 CHILDREN WHO ENJOYED COACHING IN A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES
,094 1,998 537 GYM WORKOUTS PEOPLE REFERRED BY THEIR GP
325,229
259
SPORTS CLUBS BASED AT HALO LEISURE CENTRES
4,859
, 8 000 , 21618 GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES – WITH A YEARLY ATTENDANCE OF
292 MEMBERS ENJOYING DISCOUNTED RATES THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYER
PEOPLE ENJOYING DISCOUNTED SESSIONS. WE REMOVED BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION FOR JUNIORS, SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE ON CERTAIN MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS
LOCAL ELITE ATHLETES SUPPORTED THROUGH THE HALO SPORT FOUNDATION
9,275
VISITS TO THE SEVEN LIBRARIES BASED IN OUR CENTRES
WORKING WELL AND WORKING EFFICIENTLY As you know, we invest huge amounts (both time and money) into keeping our buildings super smart, super safe, clean and environmentally friendly. New kit and improvements in customer areas get noticed but we know, too, it’s often the technical, operational behind-the-scenes stuff that benefits customers most. We’ve included some important examples here that represented a spend of roughly £700k on work including: A brand-new gym at Craven Arms thanks to the transformation of a rarely used meeting room into a workout studio at the local community centre we now manage. Facial recognition software at Hereford Leisure Centre for fast, efficient access-control to the site and recording of attendance. A completed renovation of our outdoor heated pool at the Severn Centre (carried out with the support of the locals who love it!). A new Halo Leisure App for a one-stop on-hand way to view activity timetables, book or cancel classes and racket courts, and to access latest offers and news. Three replacement swimming pool covers. An upgraded lift at Hereford Leisure Centre. Renewed stock of automatic dosing units at two of our pools. Refurbishment of the plant room at the Halo centre in Pencoed including new boilers and a hot water plate heat exchanger. Refurbishment and upgrade of the air handling unit for the changing rooms at Maesteg Pool. Refurbishment of the filter in the teaching pool at the Halo site in Ynysawdre.
Installation of radiant tube heating at Maesteg Sports Centre. Roof repairs over the bowls hall at Bridgend Life Centre. Replacement boilers at Ogmore Valley Life Centre and, through external funding, we have replaced the upright stored hot water unit at the site with a mega efficient plate heat exchanger. Innovative repairs to a leaking cold water storage tank at Bridge Street Sports Centre. Replacement pool circulation pumps at Leominster Pool. More efficient and effective outdoor lighting at the tennis facilities at Bridge Street Sports Centre. Complete changing room make-over at Highworth Recreation Centre.
MAKING WORK A HEALTHY PLACE TO BE TEAMWORK IN ACTION The vision and mission of Halo wouldn’t be possible without our workforce. An imperative part of our success in 2019 was the open, upfront way of working we have with our staff who have positively embraced what we are trying to achieve. We facilitated and promoted a shift in how we view ourselves and how we work together as a team. It impacted on our relationship with customers and partners as a result, creating a positive upwards spiral that enhanced the spirit of Halo. Our centres were busier, our staff were happier, and both were drivers of good news, good health, and great experiences in Halo.
of support to our workforce, representing a £1,300 value benefit per employee. New support ranged from counselling to complementary therapies to financial advice. Crucially it included mental health training for senior managers to ensure colleague wellbeing is always on the agenda at the highest level. We saw managers supervise and drive mental health support forward and they have helped ensure that seeking help is never stigmatised. At the same time, we prioritised team building activities around events such as Children in Need, Macmillan Coffee Mornings and UKActive’s National Fitness Day. It was wonderful to watch the work – and the teams – come together across the year.
There was some special work going on behind the scenes to support this. We know – everyone knows – the pressures working people have faced in recent years. We are in the business of keeping people well, and that includes our staff. Halo Leisure, like so many others, had seen issues like stress increase staff absences. We wanted to do something to help our team cope with what life throws at them, with work bettering the balance in their life rather than adding to the stress. That’s why one of the success stories of 2019 was our Staff Wellbeing programme. We partnered with Westfield Health to provide a £20,000 package
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Our blueprint for staff training and development: the health and happiness of staff is a priority at Halo.
MAKING WORK A HEALTHY PLACE TO BE
Wellbeing is high on our agenda, with senior managers trained as mental health first aiders
IN 2019, AS A RESULT OF OUR EFFORTS, WE SAW: • Stress-related absence reduce by over a third.
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An important part of this staff support programme was career support. We continue to create pathways to long term careers in the leisure industry, the stuff that enhances people’s security and so promotes their self-worth and wellbeing. We have set out to provide a structure where we can understand our staff’s experience of work here. We help them choose a career pathway (be it as an apprentice, a team leader, a personal trainer, a course leader, or via a role in HR, accounting and more) and record their achievements with us as they progress. It reaps benefits for everyone we employ.
• An increase in participation in Halo activities amongst staff, with the free staff membership resulting in an average use of Halo facilities of six times per month. • Over 250 staff completing Mental Health e-learning awareness modules... ‌ all leading to a healthy growth in customer satisfaction ratings.
A MOMENT WITH...
GEOFF CHEETHAM Meet Geoff Cheetham, 66, who retired from a career in housing and was teaching Tai Chi in his local community before signing up for gym instructor training at Halo. Geoff now delivers Tai Chi classes and during 2019 he was chosen to support Halo’s staff training programme and also featured in a Welsh Government campaign – People Don’t Have a Best Before Date* – celebrating organisations like Halo Leisure who promote workplace opportunities for the over 50s.
“We’re seeing more older men join the classes and willing to give exercise a go perhaps because they see someone just like them bouncing around at the front and realise they can do it too!”
“I was double the age of everyone doing the Level 2 Gym Instructor course, but just as passionate. “I have always been active – going to the gym, running half marathons and cycling as I know the difference exercise can make. Now I’m running sessions for more than 50 people, most of them over 50. “I think Halo’s out-of-the box thinking about age – employing me later in life and being so inclusive in their approach to older customers who come into the centres – has brought rewards, both for the organisation and for the communities where it’s based. The age mix in the centres is great and growing and the health savings for the public purse must be substantial. “There is a confidence and experience you get from the world of work that’s hard to quantify but is so important in a customer-facing role. I think Halo recognises that. I’m proud to be part of the team, and an ambassador for fitness over 50.”
* The Welsh Government partnered with the Learning and Work Institute, Business in the Community (BITC) Cymru, Ageing Well in Wales, the Federation for Small Businesses and Chwarae Teg on this campaign to challenge stereotypes, demonstrate the value of a multi-generational workforce and encourage employers to invest in skills throughout their employees’ working lives. Halo Leisure was delighted to be involved.
A MOMENT WITH...
CARLY PHILLIPS Meet Carly Phillips who lives in Hereford with her partner and two children. She is deputy manager of a children’s residential home working long shifts doing amazing work.
“I quickly realised just how nonjudgmental the people in these group exercise classes are. It was less about stigma and more of a social. I felt completely comfortable and the instructor Kelly made me feel completely welcome. And I made loads of new friends...”
“It was a couple of months after I had my son that I decided I wanted to get fit. I know now I am not alone in that new mother feeling. I’d put on a lot of weight during pregnancy and by the summer I was ready to act and sick of wearing baggy clothes to hide the weight I’d put on. My friend and I signed up to a weight loss group but dieting on its own was not enough. I’d seen people lose and then gain weight through diet alone, and I wanted to make a change that would last. I wanted to run around after my kids without getting out of breath. To go up on the field with my older son, now ten, and kick a ball about without feeling unfit. “The first step was the gym, but as my confidence grew I plucked up the courage to go to a couple of group exercise classes – Body Blitz and Legs, Bums and Tums were my first choices, and they proved the right choices! This was a big step going from gym to class, because in the gym you can do what you want, as little or as much…but a full class, with lots of other people? I soon realised I didn’t have anything to worry about. “My target at the start of this journey was to shed five stone, and that seemed like a massive target. To be honest I never thought I’d reach it. But I got there in April 2019, and my weight continued to fall. I started at 17 stone and now I’m 10 stone and 3lbs. A year ago a five-minute run would have forced me to stop and walk. Now I can go 35 minutes without stopping – in fact a half hour run round the block is my first choice if I have half an hour to spare. It feels great. I feel healthy. I know I’m more confident and I enjoy my work and being a mum so much more.
“Getting fit changes you. It changes other people too. I’m so proud when friends tell me I’ve inspired them to get active because I know the benefits it brings.” Carly takes centre stage in her favourite group exercise class!
MAKING WORK A HEALTHY PLACE TO BE AFTER 17 YEARS OF UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AS HALO’S CHAIR OF TRUSTEES, BRYAN WHITE HANDED OVER THE MANTLE TO REG CURTIS IN 2019.
DID YOU KNOW Halo was shortlisted for a national Community Leisure UK Award in the Workforce Development category for its Future Managers Development programme.
Scott Rolfe, Halo CEO, and Lady Darnley, Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, help Bryan (far right) celebrate his British Empire Medal
Bryan has been at the helm of Halo since its creation in 2002 and his expertise has shaped so many Halo success stories. As Halo’s Chair of Trustees, he has shown a passion for the inclusion of local people in physical activity and has always strived to encourage excellence and achievement in sport. We will never really be able to measure the impact he has had or the numbers of people, including young people, who have benefitted – but we know there are tens of thousands and that his impact has been huge. Bryan was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to community sport and physical activity.
Halo Leisure appointed Reg Curtis as their new Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2019. Reg was Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Retail and Catering sector before he retired and his experience is proving an asset in Halo’s mission to be the best in the business, to square up to competition from cut price commercial operators, and to expand into new regions in the UK.
MAKING WORK A HEALTHY PLACE TO BE OUR WORKPLACE WELLBEING PARTNERS HALO IS INCREDIBLY PROUD OF ITS COLLABORATION WITH COMPANIES WHO WANT THEIR TEAMS TO FEEL HEALTHIER IN AND OUT OF WORK. One survey from The British Heart Foundation showed that nearly one in five workers in the UK do absolutely no physical activity during working hours and barely a quarter manage 20 minutes or less over the entire working day – even though physical activity is shown to help employees manage stress, maintain energy levels, and retain a positive outlook on their day. Other studies have not only shown employers can, by promoting activity and positive wellbeing, reduce short term absenteeism (as a result of coughs, colds and flu), and long term sickness absence (due to problems like stress, back pain, heart disease) but that they see the benefits in the recruitment and retention of employees when their health and happiness is made a priority.
Our Wellbeing at Work initiatives continue to go from strength to strength. One exciting collaboration in 2019 was with Hereford-based HEINEKEN who saw over 60 colleagues take up the opportunity to work towards better health through a pilot wellbeing programme delivered by Halo Leisure, both on site at HEINEKEN and at Halo centres. Their workforce benefitted from health assessments (e.g. on body composition), bespoke advice on physical activity from one of Halo’s leading fitness instructors, and family focused sessions such as fun family swims. Jane Brydon, HR Director at HEINEKEN, says “At HEINEKEN we take a holistic approach to the physical and mental health of our colleagues. Taking part in this initiative with Halo will help support our overall Wellbeing Strategy and I’m looking forward to seeing the results at Hereford.”
A WORLD OF ACCESSIBILITY A WIDER, WARMER WELCOME Whether it’s a discounted membership for people on low incomes (and we delivered approximately 120,000 discounted sessions throughout the year), a quieter area to work out for those who are fearful of a busy gym, or specialist support for those at risk of or recovering from health challenges, Halo continues to open its doors wide to ensure everyone is welcomed and can feel the benefits. Our teams get so much joy from seeing our adaptive cycles whizzing around the park, our dementia friendly swimming sessions full of happy families making new memories, our toning suites transforming the health (emotional as well as physical) of those facing mobility issues, and our members visibly growing in confidence as they make new friends and great strides with their health and fitness. We are always keen to signpost celebrations built around national days promoting a fairer, more accessible and diverse world and have seen demand for our bespoke services increase as a result. Across our centres we ran tailored sessions with advice and guidance for people (and their families) living with autism, MS, cardiac conditions and those at risk of injury from falls. Our dementia-friendly activities in Bridgend County received a funding boost of £58,858 from The National Lottery Community Fund Wales and was successful in securing a further £40,000 in funding to ensure its future, including £30,000 from the Peter Harrison Foundation.
DID YOU KNOW Successful funding applications of £25,000 allowed for a PoolPod facility to be added to the Halo pool in Leominster – further enhancing the accessibility of swimming for people with mobility difficulties.
The National Exercise Referral Scheme in Wales – a partnership with the health service which sees GPs refer patients to Halo in Bridgend County for additional support – went from strength to strength. Almost 2,000 people were referred to Halo by their GP during 2019, including people deemed at risk of future health problems because of excess weight or a lack of activity.
Meanwhile, working with the NHS and Macmillan Cancer Support, we offered exercise classes to patients before, during and/or following cancer treatment. Referred by their medical professional, the clients enjoyed a 10-week programme at our centres in Hereford City. And we were so excited to see the innovative ‘OlympAge Games’ event unfold at Bridgend Life Centre (as pictured below). The many teams behind this wonderful event have developed age-friendly communities and recognised the health and wellbeing benefits of encouraging older people to keep physically active to help tackle isolation and loneliness. More than 150 older residents and people with disabilities took part in the fun-filled event.
A MOMENT WITH...
AMANDA PHILLIPS Multiple Sclerosis is a condition affecting some 100,000 people in the UK (three times more women than men), impacting on their brain and spinal cord and damaging the coating of nerves. “The physio thought exercise would help build my core strength, and stamina in my legs,” says Amanda. Amanda wasn’t keen on the idea of working out alongside slim gymbies and didn’t feel ready to sign up to the specialist MS class on offer at her local Halo centre.
“The staff at Halo knew about MS. They knew the language of the condition, and its impact, and devised a routine for the gym and some exercises I could do at home when I wasn’t up to coming into the centre...”
But there were surprises waiting for her at Halo. “I went in wondering if everyone would notice I’m overweight, or if I’d only managed three minutes on the cross trainer, or 10 minutes walking on the treadmill, or how quickly I’d go and sit down and read a book while my husband or daughter finish their workout? But no, they didn’t notice,” says Amanda. “There are all ages, sizes, shapes and abilities at the gym, and they are all there to work out at their own pace for their own reasons.
Meet Amanda Phillips who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) four years ago and discovered the gym (the last place she thought she’d want to be), built her strength, and family bonds.
“The fitness team have taught me techniques to reduce pain, like easier ways to get up when I am kneeling or lying down. And they’ve understood that it isn’t something that just affects you physically but emotionally too. They understand what I am feeling and are so supportive. If I can only manage a short burst on the machines, there is never any pressure. If I forget how to work those machines – which I do – they just take me through it again.”
Amanda hadn’t, she confesses, attended a gym for years, and signing up was the last bit of advice she expected from her physiotherapist. But she was finding herself exhausted at the end of the day. “I couldn’t even manage to go for a walk with my dog when I got home,” says Amanda, who lives and works in Ross-On-Wye.
But one of the best things about Amanda’s new fitness regime is she’s been able to share it with her 15-yearold daughter, Isobel (pictured). “Isobel helps me with the machines and understands where I am at. I don’t look like I have a disability. I don’t walk with a stick. But she knows what I need. When we’re out shopping together, she always finds a changing room with a chair, or knows I’ll need regular stops. Without being asked she’ll come over in the gym and help me put my foot in a stirrup as I struggle with movement in my feet. Without my MS we might not have done this together, or had this understanding, but working out here has brought us even closer.”
A MOMENT WITH...
ROB FERGUSON Meet Rob Ferguson who helped us mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 by sharing his experience of depression and how exercising at Halo helped him on a journey of recovery.
“You have to find someone who understands you, and who can help you make that first step. In my case I found the support at Halo, and exercise has been crucial to my recovery. And now there is no going back...”
“Part of the problem with depression – and it’s a big part – is the secretive part. You don’t want to tell people you are not feeling right. When I was first ill with post-traumatic stress disorder I came out of hospital and went back into work and it was a nightmare. I could feel myself collapsing, physically and mentally. And then, however odd it seems to everyone else, you become afraid of trying. You lock yourself away. It’s like your feet are nailed to the floor. “I can see now that not talking, not getting out there, was only making me feel worse. I have changed and I am glad to see the world is changing when it comes to mental health. I don’t talk to many people, but I have talked to the people at Halo and it has been so helpful in ways that are hard to explain. “Take Pilates. Just knowing the Pilates teacher understands where I am at – she has been absolutely fantastic – makes the class so enjoyable. I’ve learned that my depression was impacting my posture and so my breathing. Taking that exercise class has improved my health. Or try the gym. Just having that little bit of extra support in the gym – people saying they’re there if I need them – makes all the difference. Now getting up and going to the gym gives me a taste of freedom…a sense of sanity. Little things – like just 20 minutes on the cross trainer – is a victory for me. As I’ve got fitter I’ve started cycling, and the last bike ride was in the rain and cold and I still did it! In fact, in one month I clocked up 300 miles on my bike. And with every ride I come away feeling so much better about myself. Because of the impact of exercise (and the release of those endorphins), but also because you are welcomed into this community, and are talking to people who understand. Who want to help.
“I have a slogan by my front door which says: ‘What would you attempt to do today if you knew you couldn’t fail?’ I like that because I don’t see failure anymore. If I can leave the house it’s a victory, and everything on top of that is a bonus. Then the small victories make you forget the bad moments. And they inspire better habits. I’ve discovered I love to bake bread. And I’m now eating more healthily (instead of indulging in the bags of doughnuts for comfort). As a result I’ve lost weight and feel healthier physically, and so experienced another victory. And suddenly I am in an upward spiral and that feels great. Last year I was taking antidepressants to help me cope at work, but now I have a new job and am feeling so much better. “I can see, looking at this journey I’ve been on, that a whole number of things have helped me get better. But the first one has to be knowing someone is there for you. It could be someone at the doctor’s surgery, or at counselling, or in your family. But you have to find someone who understands you, and who can help you make that first step. In my case I found the support at Halo, and exercise has been crucial to my recovery. And now there is no going back.”
£650,000 INVESTMENT INTO OUR BRAND NEW WELLBEING HUB...
DID YOU KNOW We were finalists in the Community Leisure UK Award – Community Impact through Physical Activity category – for our ‘Feel Good For Life’ dementia-friendly activity programme. Find out more at haloleisure.org.uk/feelgoodforlife/
In October 2019 Bridgend County Borough Council opened the doors to the new Wellbeing Hub at Halo’s Bridgend Life Centre. A £650,000 investment from community partners including the Intermediate Care Fund allowed demolition of the existing internal structure and the construction of a new health centre within the existing building. The space was repurposed to house refurbished bowling facilities and a community space which is being used by partners from Bridgend County Borough Council, Bridgend Employability, Adult Social Care, local Health Board, Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations and the National Exercise Referral Scheme. We look forward to seeing a growing range of health and wellbeing support services delivered under its roof.
DID YOU KNOW It’s official – Halo has the BEST Fitsteps instructor in the Midlands. Our instructor Laura won Instructor of The Year.
Laura celebrates her award with Mark Foster, former Olympic swimmer and 2008 contestant on BBC Strictly Come Dancing (left) and Ian Waite (right), former Strictly professional dancer and co-creator of the Fitsteps exercise programme.
#FITNESS2ME Customers and staff alike were keen to get involved with the annual UKActive National Fitness Day and to tell us what #Fitness2ME means for them…
ACROSS THE NATION This year saw Halo teams and their customers celebrating and participating in a range of national health and wellbeing campaigns including: •
International Days for children, women, men, older people, people with disabilities
•
National Fitness Day
•
National Apprentice Week
•
Move More Month
•
Awareness Months for MS, Autism, Asthma, Stroke Prevention, Mental Health, Alzheimer’s, Arthritis
•
World Book Day
•
Drowning Prevention week
HELPING OUR CHILDREN THRIVE It starts with a baby swim class, can lead to magical worlds of Disney pool parties, fill school holidays with some serious fun and games (and some essential initiatives like Active for Life School Holiday free lunches), and deliver life-saving swimming lessons and life-transforming sports classes. And when the teen years arrive or student life begins, our young people can continue to enjoy affordable ways to stay fit, healthy and happy with our special membership packages. These are some of the ways Halo Leisure helps children and young people thrive. In 2019 we saw over 19,500 children enjoy sports lessons at our centres including 14,461 pupils who came to Halo to learn to swim. And our brilliant instructors delivered 1-1 swimming lessons for children with disabilities. Halo were delighted, too, to receive an award of £8,531 from the ICF Community Grants scheme to enable us to deliver an AutismFriendly Swimming Lesson pilot. The project allowed us to make adjustments so that more children with additional needs have the opportunity (via specialist training, resources and support) to learn to swim. “I think what Halo provides is amazing and I’m really grateful for it and it’s been really beneficial to him” said one of the mum’s whose son enjoyed taking part.
DID YOU KNOW Year 5 pupils from Riverside Primary School in Hereford helped us launch a new two-week intensive swim course where children attended every day (rather than every week), using Swim England’s School Swim Charter. “Moving to this model has proved very successful. Children now become comfortable in the pool with the instructors and have fun whilst they are learning. Their progress has been staggering.” Emma Shearer, Headteacher As a result of its success a further 450 Riverside children aged from 5 - 11 years old will go on to benefit from this intensive model during the academic year.
Halo continues to use the QUEST (Quality Award for Sport and Leisure) accreditation scheme as part of ongoing quality improvement. Five centres in our Welsh areas were assessed by independent external assessors, all receiving a grade of ‘Very Good’.
A MOMENT WITH...
CHARLOTTE JONES Meet Charlotte Jones, who lives in Hereford and discovered the transformational power of our toning suite which, she says, goes way beyond the stone in weight she’s lost (so far!).
“The toning suite is so relaxing, the welcome so warm. I go three or four times a week and have lost over a stone already. But it’s not just about the weight, it’s the real sense of wellbeing and belonging…”
“I’d been in a psychiatric hospital for several years and moved into a flat with in-house support and was looking for ways to improve my health. But the gym – which seemed like the obvious choice – was, for me, too busy and too anonymous. I felt too anxious. I remember being on the treadmill and after a few minutes was wishing I was walking home. Then a friend told me about the toning suite at Hereford Leisure Centre, and that changed everything. “It’s hard to describe the impact of poor mental health on daily life, and how it knocks your confidence and in turn your motivation to get active, however much you want to. I used to hate exercise. I was overweight as a result of the long stay in hospital and the medication I was on. Most of the time I was with support workers. I had few friends, and my confidence was so low I didn’t want to get on a bus on my own. That can be very lonely, a way of life that is hard to change. “What result did I see in the toning suite? To be honest it’s hard to put it into words the change in my physical as well as mental health. Everyone in the suite is friendly, but they give you the space to workout at your own pace. I like to chill out to music while I exercise, but know I can call on the Toning Advisors if I need help. They are so kind and incredibly supportive. The suite is, quite literally, changing my life. I get the bus down there on my own and have asked a friend who lives nearby to join me. We’ll walk if the weather is good, get a coffee afterwards. I can’t explain the sense of achievement I feel as a result. I am motivated to eat better and move more. I go along to a group exercise class at Halo too now. One of the instructors in the gym (who sensed I wasn’t very comfortable working out in there) invited me to attend a class they run. I love it, and am exercising for 45 minutes non-stop and feeling great as a result.”
A MOMENT WITH...
LEANNE MEEK “I know many young girls fall out of love with exercise when they hit their teen years. My daughter Ellie left behind dancing and trampolining at primary school and didn’t enjoy the team sports at secondary. She also had less time for out of school clubs with all the homework she gets. But I can see, too, that screen time can too easily replace swimming and sports for growing children, and I wanted to make sure the balance was right for Ellie. “Halo offers some great membership deals for young people up to the age of 24, so we signed up and started going to some group exercise classes together and, with the support of Halo staff, I introduced her to the gym. She loves it, especially when we’re both running on the treadmill side by side. I’ve not only planted the seed that this is something you should never grow out of, I am getting to spend time with her and, at the weekend, when we share a cupcake or fish and chips, we both feel we’ve really earned the treat. Now Ellie often pops into Halo on her way home from school as well as coming along with me, and some of my friends are talking about bringing their daughters to classes too. Spread the good news!”
Meet Leanne Meek who is spending more time exercising with her teenage daughter after encouraging her to swap online screen time for in centre workouts.
“I’ve not only planted the seed that this is something you should never grow out of, we are getting to spend more time together...”
LOOK AT OUR RESULTS
FINANCIAL INFO 2019
Summarised Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31st December 2019 Income
2019
2018
Donations and Legacies
223
227
Income from charitable activities
12,549
12,255
Management Fees
1,486
1,432
Government Grants
25
24
Income from commercial trading activities
235
220
Investment Income
4
2
Total Income
14,522
14,160
Commercial trading activities
145
125
Wages and Salaries
8,532
8,626
Premises Costs
1,174
1,134
Utilities
1,345
1,394
Expenditure
Advertising and Promotions
77
70
Office Administration
215
242
Finance and Compliance
738
661
Other Finance Costs Re FRS 102
190
164
Irrecoverable VAT
663
614
Equipment Repairs, Maintenance and Leasing
188
119
Other Costs
734
930
Governance Costs
21
21
Depreciation and Amortisation
834
778
Finance Lease and Hire Purchase
581
520
Total Expenditure
15,437
15,398
Net Income / Expenditure
(915)
(1,238)
2019
2018
Summarised Balance Sheet at 31st December 2019 Fixed Assets
15,064
15,693
Current Assets
1,953
1,524
Creditors falling due within one year
(2,512)
(2,321)
Net Current Assets / Liabilities
(559)
(796)
Total Assets less Current Liabilities
14,505
14,896
Creditors falling due after more than one year
(11,681)
(11,959)
Accruals and Deferred Income
(154)
(157)
Net Assets
2,670
2,780
Funds Brought Forward
(3,150)
(1,912)
Net Income
(915)
(1,238)
Funds Carried Forward
(4,065)
(3,150)
The above is prior to any FRS17 adjustment relating to defined benefit pension scheme An audited statement of financial activities is available upon request.
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