SportsNation issue 1 2025

ANDY SALMON

Swim England CEO on the future plans for swimming How sustainable measures can make significant savings for pool operators

RUGBY UNION

THE RFU AND ITS PLANS TO GROW THE GAME

A passion for creating the ultimate quality turf for a wide range of sports applications

Backed

From the publisher

Tackling change

Rugby union, a sport steeped in tradition, faces numerous challenges as it evolves to meet modern demands. One significant issue is the ongoing debate surrounding law changes within the game, aimed at enhancing player safety, particularly concerning head injuries and contact. The introduction of laws to mitigate high tackles has sparked discussions about preserving the physical nature of the game while protecting player welfare.

On the horizon, the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025 presents a promising opportunity for the sport. With increased investment and growing visibility, women’s rugby is on an upward trajectory.

The success of the tournament can further elevate the profile of women’s rugby, encouraging more participation and attracting sponsorships.

It is crucial for governing bodies to capitalise on this momentum, not only to foster talent but also to create a more inclusive environment within the sport.

Another challenge arises from the financial landscape of professional rugby. The shift towards subscription-based television rights has reshaped how fans access many sports. While this model can generate substantial revenues, it risks alienating casual viewers who may be unwilling or unable to pay for subscriptions. Such exclusivity can limit a sport’s visibility and growth, particularly at the grassroots level, which is vital for long-term sustainability. The RFU’s recent financial troubles also show how dependent the NGB is on income from the Six Nations and Autumn International games it hosts at its home, the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.

In response to these challenges and opportunities, rugby union must navigate this evolving landscape with a focus on inclusivity, engagement and safety.

By balancing the excitement of the game with prudent financial strategies and an emphasis on player welfare, rugby union can cultivate a robust future. The coming years will be pivotal as the sport seeks to innovate while honouring its rich heritage, particularly through events like the Women’s Rugby World Cup held in England this year.

John Challinor, Publisher

The o cial magazine of

Tom

Walker Editor

T: +44 (0)7796 512769

E: tom@nationmedia.uk

John Challinor Publisher

T: +44 (0)7971 043396

E: john@nationmedia.uk

Register for your free subscription at www.sportsnation.uk

03 Tackling change

Rugby union faces numerous challenges as it evolves to meet modern demands

09 News

The latest industry news from around the sports and physical activity sector

22 Column: SAPCA

How play should act as a feeder for sport

26 Column: Women in Sport

Julia George on the importance of closing the “dream deficit” in sport

28 Get Britain working

Why the government’s Get Britain Working white paper is so relevant to sports and physical activity

52 Lighting up Ystrad Mynach centre’s floodlighting upgrade Issue 1 / 25

32 Interview: Andy Salmon

Swim England CEO talks to Tom Walker about the NGB’s new strategy and its vision for the future

40 Sustainable pools

How can swimming pool operators tackle the challenge of high energy demands at their facilities?

44 St Sidwell’s Point

A look at the UK’s first Passivhaus leisure centre

46 Sport in focus: rugby union

English rugby has faced its fair share of turbulence over the past two years, but the plan is to keep growing participation at all levels

54 Net gains

A recent report by the ITF shows that more people worldwide are playing tennis than ever before

58 Event preview: SAPCA Conference

The annual event heads to Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester this February

60 SAPCA Awards 2025

A detailed look at the 13 finalists across the six award categories

64 Padding it out

Detailing the minimum requirements for shock pads used in synthetic turf pitches

68 Action station

Mablethorpe’s new leisure centre

87 News

The news from across the UK play sector

94 Interview: Amanda Gummer

Chair of API outlines why play is fundamental to childhood – and yet remains often overlooked

96 Inclusive spaces

A playground in the heart of London delivers a genuinely accessible facility for children to explore

100 A giant of play

A chat with Jupiter Play’s Michael Hoenigmann

106 Playing politics

A detailed look at the recent parliamentary debate on the provision of playgrounds

Julia George Communications Lead

Women in Sport @Womeninsport_uk Amanda Gummer Chair, API @ apiplay

Tom Hayes MP Labour MP for Bournemouth East @TomHayesBmouth

Andy Salmon CEO Swim England @ Swim_England

Richard Lamburn Head of Facilities Swim England @ Swim_England

Richard Shaw CEO SAPCA @ sapca

SportsNation is the single, authoritative voice for the provision, delivery, maintenance and management of sports and physical activity facilities. Published bi-monthly, the magazine focuses on the people, places, policies and products that help to build active communities throughout the UK. Subscribe now and we will email you a complimentary copy of the magazine every two months. As the official magazine of SAPCA (the Sports and Play Construction Association), every issue of the magazine will also include information about technical guidance, funding, standards and product innovations.

SportsNation is published by SportsNation Ltd in association with the Sports And Play Construction Association (SAPCA). www.sapca.org.uk

This publication is protected by copyright and no part may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this publication and SportsNation accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. Opinions expressed by the contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and we do not accept responsibility of losses or damages arising from them. Printed by BCP Media Group Ltd. ISSN 2755-0621 (Print) ISSN 2755-063X (Online) www.sportsnation.uk Advertising opportunities Contact John E: john@nationmedia.uk www.linkedin.com/

SFA to invest £50m in building and upgrading 90 3G pitches

The Scottish FA has launched its Pitching In campaign, which will see £50m being invested over the next five years to improve football facilities across the country.

Plans under the initiative include building and upgrading 90 3G pitches and renovating 75 changing rooms by 2030. The campaign was launched in conjunction with Scottish Football Partnership Trust.

“Pitching In is our commitment to laying new foundations for football’s future: a plan to work in partnership with public, private and charity sectors to address a significant shortfall in quality facilities,” a spokesperson for the Scottish FA said.

In total, the funding will see the upgrading of 50 existing 3G pitches and the creation of 40 new 3G pitches.

Mike Mulraney, Scottish FA President: “When I became President, I made no secret of the fact that

The funding will see the upgrading of 50 existing 3G pitches and the creation of 40 new 3G pitches

improving facilities at all levels should be the association’s No.1 priority.

“Pitching In is our commitment to that pledge. We all know the socioeconomic challenges facing the country at local and national level and

so we want to work in partnership to improve existing facilities and create them where there is need. This will increase participation, improve health and wellbeing and allow more people to experience the Power of Football.

Luton Town’s Power Court stadium plans get green light

Luton Borough Council’s planning committee has approved Luton Town Town Football Club’s plans to build a 25,000-capacity stadium.

Luton Town FC’s development company, 2020 Developments, submitted the application for the Power Court Stadium in September. The scheme is part of larger plans

to instigate “major and long lasting regeneration” for the town centre.

The hybrid planning application includes details for the Power Court Stadium and also an updated outline submission for an adjacent hotel and music venue. The development sits within a wider 20-acre site owned by 2020 Developments.

PHOTO: SCOTTISH FA

The plans include the Power Court Stadium and an adjacent hotel

PEOPLE NEWS

The Padel Club appoints John Treharne as chair

Sport

England

Padel operator, The Padel Club, has appointed fitness industry veteran John Treharne as Chair.

Treharne launched The Gym Group in 2007 and is considered among the key pioneers of the UK’s low-cost gym sector. Under his leadership, The Gym Group became the first UK health and fitness group to list on the London Stock Exchange in more than 15 years. The Gym Group currently has 245 gyms nationwide and more than 891,000 members (at the end of 2024). Treharne brings

CEO, Tim Hollingsworth, to step down

Sport England CEO, Tim Hollingsworth, has decided to step down after more than six years in the role.

He will leave his post at the end of July 2025. Until then he’ll work as CEO to finalise the organisation’s “key strategic priorities”.

Hollingsworth joined Sport England in November 2018. He joined the grassroots sports body after spending seven years as CEO of the British Paralympic Association.

The search for a successor has now begun and expressions of interest in the role can be registered on the Sport England website.

Commenting on his departure, Hollingsworth said: “Being CEO of Sport England has been an enormous privilege and the past six years have been among the most fulfilling of my professional life.

“It is one of the very best jobs in sport. From the hundreds of partners and sports organisations and five

Sports Ministers I have worked with, through to the fantastic colleagues and friends who have been with me every step of the way, I have never lost the sense of purpose that the job instills, nor the desire to make a difference particularly to those in our community who need it most.

“There is still much to be done to deliver the change we want to see and make sport and physical activity part of everyone’s lives.”

more than 30 years of expertise in the leisure and fitness industry and is a former England squash player.

Launched in 2022 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, The Padel Club has been at the forefront of driving padel participation in the North-West.

In 2024, The Padel Club secured £1.5 million investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), facilitated by Praetura Equity Finance, as part of a £3.8 million funding round –the largest in UK padel history.

England appoints two new directors

Swim England has added two new directors to its team.

Maria Papadopoulos has been appointed as People Director while Helen Marney has joined the organisation as Director of Community Participation and Health. Marney has more than 20 years of wide-ranging experience within the sport sector. Papadopoulos previously worked at Swim England as a People Development Partner

PHOTO:

Tim Hollingsworth

Swim

Helen Marney

Report shows social value of sport in each region in England

Sport England has published a local breakdown of the annual social value of sport and physical activity, presenting the figures by region, active partnership and local authority.

The localised report follows three months after the grassroots sport body announced a report that calculated the overall social value of community sport and physical activity across England to be £107.2bn per year.

The figure of £107.2bn has now been broken down locally, to allow individuals and organisations to discover the social value of taking part or volunteering in sport and physical activity in their regions.

The local data shows the regions in England with the greatest combined social value (for the period 2022-23) were the South East at £18.3bn, London (£16.2bn) and the North West (£13.8bn).

The figures can be viewed by individual local authority area, organised by the nine regions in England – East, East Midlands, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Sport England CEO, Tim Hollingsworth, said: “Our research makes it clear that sport and physical activity must be a major part of the government’s plans to deliver national growth. We need to protect and invest in opportunities to play sport and be active.”

Broadcast investment in grassroots hits record

The total reinvestment this year of £197.9m is a new record amount

UK sports bodies invested a record £197.9m of broadcast revenues over the last year to grow their sport and support grassroots delivery.

The commitment to use broadcast revenues to invest in grassroots forms part of the Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Broadcasting of Major Sporting Events. The code requires signatories to put a minimum of 30% of net broadcasting revenues back into their respective sports and to make their events available to free-to-air broadcasters in live, recorded or highlights format so they can be viewed by as many people as possible. The code is administered and supported by the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA).

Those assessed as being compliant with both requirements include The FA, RFU, ECB and the LTA.

The social value data can be viewed by individual local authority area

PHOTO:

Only 9% of disabled people feel they can join sector workforce

Only 9% of disabled people feel they have the opportunity to take on a role in delivering sport or physical activity, compared to 24% of non-disabled people.

The figure comes from a new report by disability sport charity, Activity Alliance, which highlights how the sport and physical activity sector needs to “urgently address recruitment and retention strategies”.

Called Research into the workforce gap – Disabled people in the sport and physical activity workforce, the report showed that disabled people are half as likely to see ‘people like me’ working in sport and physical activity compared to their non-disabled peers.

The research provides three key headline recommendations: to provide more advice and guidance for employers, adopt a ‘flexible by default’ approach to job roles and to proactively identify and

The report suggests the industry adopts a ‘flexible by default’ approach

remove barriers that exist at all stages of the workforce journey.

The full report explores the sport and physical activity sector at large, as well as the different stages of being part of the workforce from joining through to moving on. It shows the importance of

taking a person-centred approach throughout. A series of case studies have been published alongside the report, to highlight the many varied routes taken to get into the workforce. Most of those who took part were disabled employees, volunteers and employers.

£500,000 boost for local sport in NI

Three schools in Northern Ireland are set to benefit from £500,000 of Sport NI funding through the Your School Your Club initiative.

Lismore College in Craigavon, Holy Trinity College in Cookstown and Wallace High School in Lisburn will receive funding to improve their facilities, which will also be available for local clubs and community groups, increasing opportunities for local people to participate in sport.

Both Lismore & Holy Trinity College will invest in new floodlights ensuring that their pitches can be used in the evenings by local sports teams and community groups.

Wallace High School will enhance their indoor and outdoor cricket facilities which will also be used by local cricket clubs.

Construction begins on 3G pitch at Risca School and Leisure Centre

The communities in Risca and surrounding areas in Caerphilly, Wales, are set to benefit from a significant enhancement to the sports provision at Risca School and Leisure Centre, as work begins on a dual use 3G sports pitch.

The project commenced on Monday, 20 January, marking the start of a 20-week construction phase that will transform the facility into a venue for football, rugby and other outdoor sports. The pitch is scheduled for completion in time for the summer sports season. The longanticipated development follows extensive planning and collaboration between Caerphilly County Borough Council, local schools, and community sports groups.

It is being funded through Welsh Government Community Focussed Schools grant. The new 3G pitch, delivered by SAPCA member Blakedown Sport and

Play, will provide a high-quality playing surface designed to support year-round sporting activities, ensuring accessibility for both recreational and competitive use.

Councillor Chris Morgan, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: “This investment in Risca School

and Leisure Centre reflects our commitment to improving access to high-quality sports facilities for our residents. The new 3G pitch will be a valuable asset for schools, sports clubs, and the wider community, providing an inclusive and sustainable space.”

TMD jumps to market with range of grip socks

Taylor Made Designs (TMD) has launched a new line of trampoline socks. Designed for aqua parks, trampoline parks and indoor play centres, the grip socks combine safety, comfort and style.

The standout feature of the new socks is their non-slip grip, designed to provide extra traction to minimise the risk of slips or falls. Whether guests are bouncing on trampolines, navigating obstacle courses, or exploring indoor play structures, the socks offer a secure fit and peace of mind.

Comfort is also a top priority, ensuring every step feels just as good as the last, even during the most action-packed adventures.

To deliver convenience to leisure operators, TMD is offering low minimum order quantities and fast delivery times in both children’s and adult sizes.

The 3G pitch will cater for football, rugby and other sports

Cheshire facility plan includes 11 new 3G pitches

Football facilities in Cheshire are set for a boost following the publication of a Local Football Facility Plan for the region.

The plan has been prepared with support from partners, including the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, Cheshire County FA, Active Partnership, Sport England and Cheshire East Council.

Every local authority in the country has its own Local Football Facility Plan, which identifies priority projects for potential investment from the Football Foundation – so that more and

better facilities for grassroots football can be delivered.

In Cheshire East, the plan identifies the need for 11 new 3G pitches and the refurbishment of three existing 3G pitches. Priority projects for investment have been identified for the Crewe, Congleton, Nantwich, Holmes Chapel, Sandbach, Wilmslow, Poynton, Macclesfield, Knutsford areas. The plan also identifies potential projects to deliver new or refurbished changing facilities in places including Gawsworth, Poynton, Middlewich, Wilmslow and Crewe.

Approval for padel courts at Gosport Leisure Centre

Plans have been approved for four, covered, flood-lit padel courts at Gosport Leisure Centre in Hampshire.

Places Leisure, which operates the center on behalf of its owner, Gosport Borough Council, expects to welcome around 35,000 visits to the courts per year once they are open.

The operator has plans to offer various coaching programmes for all levels as well as leagues, competitions and social play events. The courts will be accessible to all and will be available for hire at “affordable rates”. Places Leisure is working in conjunction with the LTA –padel’s national governing body – to deliver the project. The construction of the four courts is expected to begin in Spring 2025.

Danny Churcher, Contract Manager for Places Leisure, said: “By offering high-quality facilities in a central location, we hope this will make padel more accessible and engage a broader range of participants.”

Three padel courts to open at Tipton Sports Academy

Plans have been approved for three padel courts at Tipton Sports Academy in Tipton, West Midlands. Set to open in April 2025, the courts will be among the first in the area and will add to the existing range of racket sports –including indoor tennis, badminton and squash – at the venue.

Tipton Sports Academy is owned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and is operated by Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT). According to SLT CEO, Mark Braithwaite, the courts form part of SLT’s mission to provide accessible and affordable facilities to the community.

The British turf that’s creating a Sterling reputation

Sterling Turf is a specialist manufacturer of British, quality artificial turf. Mat Britton, Director, explains how the business has been built with an emphasis on service, quality and flexibility

With combined experience of over 40 years at all levels of the artificial grass supply chain, Sterling Turf is proud to deliver a range of quality turf products designed for the sports, education, fitness and landscape market. From yarn development and extrusion, turf manufacturing, through to project management and installation, the company’s combined knowledge and understanding has driven it to create a unique offering.

As recognised members of SAPCA, Sterling has quickly gained a strong reputation within the sports market and enjoyed collaborating on many highprofile projects. From supplying FIH-accredited, full-size hockey pitches for schools around the UK, to supplying fitness training areas to the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Q&A Mat Britton, Director

Tell us about Sterling Turf?

Sterling are a British manufacturer of quality artificial turf, predominantly designed for the UK market. We are passionate about creating a range of high quality turf systems, that offer a balance of performance, durability and value. We are a family business that has a wealth of experience at all stages of the supply chain, and so we truly understand the market and what our key objectives are.

We are focused on offering our customers another option versus what is already on the market.

Committed to supplying quality products at a competitive price, backed up by outstanding customer service that we believe is often overlooked.

What led you to where you are today?

I started in the industry 21 years ago, I spent 9 years working for TigerTurf. During this time, I worked closely with consultants, contractors and end users, gaining a real understanding of what is demanded in the UK market. Not just product quality, but also the importance of great service and clear communication that can be relied upon.

Over the next 12 years, I worked within the grass yarn extrusion sector. Working mainly in Europe and America, I have been heavily involved in the development of grass yarns. I am proud to say I have become a yarn geek, with a detailed knowledge of polymers, UV packages and processes. I have been involved with many large scale projects during this time, including installations such as the main stadium pitch for the Dallas Cowboys. This wealth of experience gained over the years has given Sterling Turf an unrivalled understanding of what makes an elite quality synthetic turf.

What would you say makes Sterling different from the rest?

Our flexibility and commitment to providing outstanding service to our customers. Of course, the foundation of our offer is working with the best raw materials and constructing turf options that always deliver on performance and durability; but our focus on making life easier for our customers is our additional driver. We are a relatively small team with lots of experience and knowledge, with a whole lot of enthusiasm to go above and beyond for our customers.

We have a core range of products; but can also create bespoke offerings that elevate the use of artificial turf and give our customers something unique.

How does Sterling Turf ensure quality for its turf products?

Firstly, we only work with the highest grade raw materials from the most reputable suppliers. Schramm GMBH are recognized as the leading supplier of texturised monofilament yarns, and we are proud to collaborate with them.

We do not cut corners, but instead focus on going above and beyond. From the best quality materials used for yarns and backing cloth; to maximising the individual product weights to balance performance and durability. Our products are heavy weight, combining the best specifications available for each turf application, and are manufactured in the UK.

Quality turf products, at the right price, delivered on time — backed up by fantastic customer service

What is the company’s mission and vision for the future?

We are committed to being a great British turf manufacturer, that is recognised for offering quality turf at competitive prices and, as importantly, that is known to be reliable and knowledgeable.

In addition to the core range of products, we can also supply tailor-made and unique designs, which will bring a facility project to life.

Whether you are looking for a full size FIH (International Hockey Federation)-certified hockey pitch, a tailored padel turf matching a specific brand pantone, or an intricate logo incorporated into a stadium pitch surround; Sterling can supply all your needs.

Quality turf products, at the right price, delivered on time. Backed up by fantastic customer service.

We are proud to be gaining a strong reputation in the market, and we look forward to continue to grow this in the coming months and years and add value to the options available in the UK sports turf market.

Sterling DurMATCH revitalises school site

The meaning of play

Richard Shaw CEO SAPCA

Let’s play” is something I constantly say while coaching football. As ever, I’m not quite sure what I mean by this and even less sure what the kids think I mean by it.

I hope they take it as shorthand for “enjoy the game, relax, try to play the beautiful game with confidence and some style”. It means don’t force it, don’t lump it and run, do the things that you enjoy with the football and express yourself. Most of all, I hope they understand it as freedom. “Pretend that all these parents and I weren’t here and there was no pressure, do what you would do then”.

The shorthand hopefully works. “To play” should provide us all with the experience of being a child. “To play” provides us with connections to feelings that we all hopefully retain – especially those who are still children.

This collective experience means that we know what “to play” means and we understand the shared emotion. The recent amendment to the National Planning Policy Framework – to recognise the importance of formal play spaces and giving them the same status as playing fields – should be celebrated by all. Especially those of us who were concerned with the latest data from Sport England’s Active Lives survey (published in December), which showed that participation levels amongst children and young people are flatlining.

To play is to learn so much more than just about play. To play means emotional, social and physical development. The development of play into sport is obviously central to SAPCA’s aims, but we also know that the importance of play runs so much deeper.

We don’t expect people to be able to read Shakespeare without first reading children’s books. Why would we expect to develop emotionally intelligent, resilient and healthy children without the positive impact of play?

“To play” provides us with connections to feelings that we all hopefully retain

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Exercise is not just for January

Huw Edwards CEO ukactive

Our government is desperate to kickstart economic growth, but it will fail to achieve this without significant improvements in our national health. In turn, these national health improvements do not happen without sport, physical activity and getting the nation moving.

January has historically been a time when millions of people revisit their health and wellbeing ambitions through joining or rejoining gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools and taking part in more walking, running, and wider recreational and sporting activities. I urge any doubters to look past the New Year clichés and see a solution that really is working. The sport and physical activity sector, from January onwards, brings communities across the whole country together with a shared ambition to improve collective national health, one person at a time.

Every person’s motivation will be unique and personal to them this year, but the outcomes are shared: to live a happy and healthy life among family, friends and colleagues. We know from our research that this has as much to do with supporting mental wellbeing and social connection as it is improving physical health, and we know the nation is prioritising these services as people kickstart their fitness routines this week.

Our latest research shows that over threequarters (77%) of gym users with a long-term health condition use gyms to support their mental health, with 80% also doing so to maintain their physical strength and fitness. Equally, more and more people are choosing to spend their disposable income on health and fitness –including gym memberships – over other options such as eating out and drinking socially. Every year, more people are recognising the long-term health improvements these facilities provide.

Our evidence shows that people want to take accountability for their health and wellbeing this

The government cannot a ord to make the mistakes of previous governments by falling into ‘policy by photo op’

January. They are seeking support from these trusted services that sit in their local community, to manage their health proactively, knowing the severe pressure the NHS is already under. Solutions for addressing our nation’s poor health and supporting those with health conditions already exist in these community facilities and are just waiting to be scaled. These services are already doing great work, and it is now important that the Government catches up and joins them in this quest – no longer being a spectator but an active partner with the public and our sector to increase our national physical activity levels across all ages and backgrounds. The Government cannot afford to make the mistakes of previous governments by falling into ‘policy by photo opportunity’ and failing to appreciate this sector as an industry in its own right. Every year that previous governments have failed to unlock the potential of physical activity and the services available in communities, the stakes have grown higher. We cannot wait any longer. Against the background of the annual discussion on health and wellbeing that will influence the opening weeks of 2025, the Government must provide a narrative on how it plans to leverage the sport and physical activity sector as part of its mission-based work. This must include interventions of substance, addressing historic funding commitments such as MSK (musculoskeletal) Hubs that seem stuck in the Whitehall system. Furthermore, they must set out the detail to match the positive rhetoric on how it plans to ensure opportunities for every child and young person to be physically active, as well as integrating our sector to support the NHS.

Closing the dream deficit in sport

Julia George External Communications Lead Women in Sport

The Women’s Ashes cricket series between England and Australia in Sydney marked the start of a spectacular year for women’s sport.

The Australian Open, the SheBelieves Cup for football and the Lionesses’ UEFA Nations League game against Spain at Wembley – both taking place in February – will kick start the year with unmissable moments and opportunities for fans to cheer female athletes on to victory.

Looking ahead to March, China will be hosting the World Indoor Athletics Championships and here in the UK, the Women’s Six Nations kicks off, with England as one of the favourites, ahead of the hotly anticipated home World Cup and the UEFA Euros in Switzerland in July. Throughout the year, we will also see ice hockey, golf, swimming, basketball, judo and weightlifting events.

With all these events happening worldwide, it would be easy to think that the battle for equality in sport has been fought and won. But Women in Sport’s latest research - conducted after the Paris Olympics - tells a different story. It reveals how differently girls and boys view sport – and their place within it.

Although 54% of boys said seeing female Olympians made them want to support the women and girls in their lives more, the same percentage think there has ‘been too much focus’ on gender equality in sport. More than a third (36%) of boys think that if women’s sport becomes more popular men’s sport will ‘suffer’.

Let this year be about opportunity and equality, inspiring boys to be allies to girls with sporting dreams

Where do views like these come from? It can only be a reflection of society as a whole, highlighting how deeply stereotypes persist.

Our research shows that, while the majority of boys want to be supporters and more girls than ever dream of reaching the top, boys have very different perceptions of inequality than girls themselves.

More than half (59%) of boys believe that girls are encouraged to play sports as much as they are, compared to just 31% of girls. Nearly half (47%) of boys also say that they make ‘better leaders’ in sport. This isn’t just about numbers – it’s about dreams. There is still a significant gender ‘dream deficit’, with too many girls made to feel that sport isn’t for them.

As fans fill stadiums and tune in to celebrate female athletes in 2025, let’s ensure this year is about more than victories on the pitch, track or in the pool. Let it be about opportunity, not blame. Let it be the year we finally move past the outdated stereotypes highlighted in our research and inspire a true culture of equality – where boys grow up not just as spectators, but as genuine allies to women and girls with sporting dreams. For more information about Women in Sport’s research and to get involved with our work visit: womeninsport.org/take-action/donate/

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Working fit?

The government has published its Get Britain Working white paper, outlining proposals to reform health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity. But what e ect, if any, will the paper have for the sports and physical activity sector?

The government has published its Get Britain Working white paper, laying out its plans to support people into work and create an inclusive labour market in which “everybody can participate and progress in work”. At the heart of the plans is to bring down the number of people locked out of work due to long-term sickness, which currently stands at 2.8 million.

In particular, the plans look to tackle youth unemployment. According to government figures for 2024, one in eight of young people are not in education, employment or training (so called “NEETs”), while 9 million adults “lack the basic skills they need to get on”.

“Behind the statistics are human stories played out time and again across the country,” the paper states. “These include young people with mental health problems waiting for treatment – or lacking the basic qualifications they need to get a job and kick-start their career – and people in their 50s and 60s struggling with chronic pain. There are also women who end up caring for elderly relatives with huge experience to offer employers, but who have far too few opportunities.

writing people off, our reforms target and tackle the root causes behind why people are not working, joining up help and support, based on the needs of local people and local places.”

The role of physical activity

One of the main aims of the white paper is to “fix the NHS”. This means cutting waiting lists so people can get back to health and back to work, as well as having a greater focus on preventing people becoming ill in the first place. This is an area in which the sport and physical activity sector can play a role – by getting more people to get more active and to exercise regularly.

“This White Paper sets out a fundamentally different approach, alongside the detail of our plan for £240 million of investment. Rather than

CIMSPA Chief Strategy Officer, Spencer Moore

Another is around tackling the “NEETs”. Here, the government has outlined plans to deliver a Youth Guarantee, so that all 18 to 21-year-olds in England have access to education, training or help to find a job or an apprenticeship.

The government recognises the role that the sector can play in the paper.

“Sports play a vital role in our society and economy, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributing to growth, as well as giving joy to millions,” the paper reads. “Many national and local organisations already do inspiring work with disadvantaged young people, offering opportunities to build their skills and confidence and pathways into experiences, qualifications and jobs.

access or well their and pathways and

PHOTO: CINSPA

Sport and physical activity offer pathways to skills, confidence, and careers for disadvantaged youth

“We believe all young people deserve the opportunity to thrive and that sports are crucial to achieving this goal. Therefore, government will work in partnership with organisations at the national and local level to join up, enhance and champion their efforts as part of our new Youth Guarantee. Our first partnerships will be developed with Channel 4 and leading sports organisations including the Premier League.”

The sector’s reaction

The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) published a detailed response to the white paper, exploring the role that the sports and physical activity sector can play in helping the government reach its ambitions. CIMSPA Chief Strategy Officer, Spencer Moore, said that the sector’s workforce would be integral to achieving the aims set out in the white paper

– especially when it comes to young people.

“Our sector offers a range of career opportunities that appeal to young people and sport and physical activity can be a great conduit to re-engaging young people that are not in learning, training or work,” he says.

“Often these young people have become disillusioned with academic learning and have been unable to find a place to utilise and develop their skills. Sport and physical activity can be a means to them developing their confidence and resilience, building other valuable skills such as communication and team work, and providing a positive purpose.

“Organisations like StreetGames offer young people in challenging circumstances and who may not be engaging with learning or work, the opportunity to develop their skills, improve their wellbeing and become more engaged through their informal community sports initiatives. This

Tackling long-term sickness and NEET youth is key to building an inclusive labour market

type of work is integral to getting those young people who are NEET to re-engage ahead of progressing into learning, training and work.

“And careers in our sector present fantastic opportunities for young people. Over 30% of roles in our sector are carried out by people under the age of 25. Our sector provides skills in communication, customer service, teamwork and many other transferable areas that serve people throughout their careers whether they remain in our sector or choose to build a career elsewhere.

“When we talk to young people working in our sector about their role and what they enjoy, there are a number of themes, some obvious like flexible hours (which can fit with learning), being part of a team, others that aren’t like being a role model, helping people and giving back to their community.

All of these factors are why the Youth Guarantee should look to our sector and organisations like Coach Core who are creating apprenticeship and job opportunities for young people who have struggled to find a place to develop their skills and start a career.”

Fixing the NHS

According to Moore, another area in which the sector will play a crucial role is supporting people with health conditions and disabilities. “There are great examples of where organisations in our sector are working with healthcare professionals to help people with health conditions to recover, become more active and subsequently be able to move into employment or training,” he says.

“Organisations like Sport for Confidence, who are working collaboratively with stakeholders across our sector and health care professionals to use physical activity to help people overcome barriers to doing life activities, including work.

“The white paper also announces an independent review that will look at how organisations can be supported to recruit and develop employees with health conditions and disabilities. Again, our sector has a key role to play in this work with physical activity provision that meets the needs for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions through the professional standards for working inclusively, working with inactive people and working with people with long-term conditions.

“It’s also important that the government doesn’t forget that absence rates in working people are at 2.6%, the highest in almost 20 years. In some sectors and areas of the UK, the rate is considerably higher. With long-term sickness absence not only impacting employers but often leading to periods of economic inactivity, as part of its policy, government must enable our sector to support employers to improve the active wellbeing of their staff and intervene where possible with employees that do become unwell.”

Political will - is it there?

The white paper accompanies plans released for Skills England, the 10-Year Plan for Health, the Autumn Budget and Invest 2035: the UK’s modern industrial strategy. Together, the documents provide a detailed direction of travel

Physical activity can drive health recovery and re-engage people into work or training

that the Labour government intends to take in rejuvenating the UK and its economic prospects.

While the Autumn Budget failed to provide crucial detail about the significant role sport, recreation and physical activity can play in driving a healthier and more productive and prosperous nation, it doesn’t mean that the role isn’t there. Indeed, the white paper can go some way in identifying some of the elements of that role. More, however, can – and needs – to be done.

authorities, businesses, physical activity organisations and other entities – to create a healthier nation.

Published by The Fabian Society, the report made the case that, just as it has become commonplace to evaluate policy through a ‘green lens’ to determine environmental sustainability, a ‘health and wellbeing lens’ should also be applied during decision making.

When the current government was in opposition, it offered plenty of signs that it “got” physical activity and was prepared to work with the sector to utilise it in measures to both improve public health and to boost the economy. These included the Healthier Britain report, which called for an entirely new wellbeing policy to be adopted, in which health and wellbeing would be at the heart of all policymaking. In the report, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said government departments should work much more closely together – as well as partner with local

“By adopting a comprehensive strategy towards improving the health and wellbeing of the country and its citizens, Labour can offer a fresh and positive vision for Britain’s future,” Leadbeater said in the report, adding: “where prevention and early intervention take priority; and where investing time, energy and resources in people’s health and wellbeing helps them as individuals, supports families, communities and businesses and helps us all become more prosperous, more productive and happier.”

At the time, Leadbeater received a warm response from the physical activity sector. Perhaps it is now time for her government to deliver on the vision outlined in the report.

New beginnings

Andy Salmon took up the role of Swim England CEO in February 2024. He talks to Tom Walker about the first 12 months in the post, which included the launch of the NGB’s new strategy for swimming

When Andy Salmon became Swim England CEO, he succeeded Jane Nickerson, who had spent more than 25 years with the national governing body of swimming. While Nickerson had spent her entire career within swimming, Salmon came to the role with a more diverse sporting background.

He started his career in golf, working for the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), before moving to commercial sport with stints as director of golf for hotel giant, Marriott, and as Group Golf & Leisure Manager for the De Vere Group. Salmon was also Director of the World Masters Golf Championship and spent nearly a decade as

development director and deputy CEO at Scottish Golf. After a long career in golf, Salmon was appointed British Triathlon CEO, a role he held for nearly seven years before joining Swim England.

“I’ve been fortunate to have gained some incredible experiences and learned from inspirational leaders during my career – and also some not so inspirational ones,” Salmon says.

“Some of my career highlights include refereeing at the Ryder Cup in 1997 and having a rules ‘debate’ with Seve Ballesteros in front of tens of millions of TV viewers. My stints in the hotel industry taught me a lot about customer service and leadership and I loved my time as CEO at Triathlon – a wonderful sport that has so many positive attributes due to its relatively modern origins.”

You’ve worked in sport for more than 30 years. How has the sector changed in those years?

From an NGB perspective, the remit has grown beyond all recognition. Quite rightly, in most instances, society demands more from those in positions of leadership – but this can be incredibly challenging when you are expected to hold a credible view on all things ranging from technical sporting matters to geo-politics and some very complex social issues. This is why, in my view, adopting a values-based approach to leadership is the only way to navigate such a wide scope of activity and responsibility.

I feel strongly that the sector needs to get better at collaboration so that together, we can achieve more with less. Sport and physical activity have such a crucial role to play in society, now more than ever before, and so it is vital that we make this case to government and the private sector. Greater collaboration can also ensure everyone is safe to experience the joys of sport and physical activity.

What attracted you to the role of Swim England CEO?

I think it was a combination of a number of factors. In all my time in sport I have seen first-hand the

huge benefits sport and physical activity can have on peoples’ lives. With an ageing population – and more people living with health conditions – the positive impact of exercise is only going to become more and more important for our society.

I would argue that swimming is almost uniquely placed to be at the very heart of efforts to support the health and wellbeing of the country. The properties of water mean it can be an ideal location for people who may struggle to be active on land to exercise and swimming (in its broadest sense) is also an activity that is enjoyed by people from birth right up to people in their 90s still enjoying a regular dip and all the benefits that come with it. This is borne out by the figures that show that over 450,000 over 75s swim each year in England. So, the ability to be in a role with the potential to positively impact society was a hugely motivating factor for me.

A second motivating factor was that, through my time at British Triathlon, I obviously had some links to the world of aquatics and had seen how many amazing people were involved in the sports and what an incredible community the aquatics community is, so that was another appealing factor.

Swimming remains one of the most popular physical activities for all age groups in the UK

We need policymakers to recognise the importance of swimming and support the sector

Finally, on a personal level, I am quite a ‘change’ oriented person. I get that change can be a little scary, but I find it energising and, for all the good things that Swim England was doing before I came in, it was also clear that there were areas where change was sorely needed and that the organisation needed to change and improve. So that change project, particularly when coupled with the potential in my earlier points, was another reason why I was attracted to the role.

You’ve now been in the role for nearly a year. How would you describe the first 12 months? Busy, intense, exciting, challenging but rewarding. Swim England is a large NGB, covering a number of disciplines, all unique and incredible in their own ways. We also cover a lot of incredibly important ground outside of the “traditional” NGB space through our health and wellbeing work. It’s a cliché, but true, to say that no two days are the same. I feel more excited than ever about the potential of swimming and the opportunities ahead.

What would you describe as your main achievement in the first 12 months?

We’ve done a lot in the past twelve months, and lots of things we can be proud of, but if I had to pick out one thing then I would say the publication of our new strategy – One Swim England –stands out for me as an important milestone. In a large part because of the process we went through to get to the point of publication.

It’s so important that we as Swim England are a listening organisation and do things “with” rather than “to” the aquatics community. To that end we undertook a huge listening exercise, running 26 ‘Vision and Values’ sessions around the country for any member of the aquatics community to come and tell us their views on the future of aquatics and what they wanted to see from Swim England and crucially the values that were important to them.

Hundreds of people took part in those sessions helping to shape the strategy that has emerged as an output and strengthening it in the process through their involvement. I’m particularly

Salmon says the publication of the One Swim England strategy has been an important milestone

excited about the mandate this has given us to lead the sports combined with our commitment to serving a growing aquatics community.

What are One Swim England strategy’s main priorities, aims and targets?

We have given the new strategy this name as we wanted to articulate our ambition to improve collaboration, both internally and externally.

To plagiarize President Truman, I believe that if we all worry less about who takes the credit, it will be amazing what can be accomplished.

Our Vision is ‘Great Experiences in water. For all. For Life.’ Simply put, if we succeed in ensuring everyone in the community, no matter their ability or stage in life, has a great experience then we’ll be in pretty good shape.

Through ‘One Swim England’ our mission is simple – ‘To lead and serve an aquatics community to enable safe, enjoyable and successful experiences.’

This strategy places a strong focus on values – the behaviours that will guide everything we do and what we expect of each other – and are a direct result of what the community told us really mattered as we gathered our insights. It also signals our intent to enable

great experiences in water for everyone, no matter their ability, age or background.

At the heart of our mission is a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment where all feel valued, supported, and motivated to excel – whether they are a participant (novice to elite), parent, coach, club volunteer, swimming teacher or operator. We are dedicated to making their experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible, providing the resources, support and guidance they need to succeed and thrive in their role –so they can focus on what they do best. This strategy is our new roadmap for the future.

Behind the strategy sit a number of very tangible KPIs that we, and the wider swimming community, will hold ourselves accountable to for the duration of the strategy.

Swim England also published a 10-year “Access Aquatics” strategy as recently as May 2023. How does that fit One Swim England?

One Swim England is the organisational strategy for Swim England moving forward and replaces Access Aquatics. There was much to be commended in Access Aquatics and a number of the issues prioritised within it can very much be found in One Swim England,

People The sector’s biggest

strength is its people – volunteers, teachers, and operators driving change r ecognise the importance of swimming and support the sector

but for me it was inconceivable in the light of the listening report to have a strategy that didn’t put the culture and values of our organisation, and our sports, at its very heart.

So that is very much what we have sought to do with One Swim England, in consultation with the aquatics community itself through the Values and Vision sessions across the country.

What will the priorities for Swim England be for 2025?

While the One Swim England strategy has 18 goals in total, eight priorities have been identified for 2025. This is because it simply wouldn’t be possible, or appropriate, to focus on all 18 goals in the next 12 months. We have prioritised the areas that we believe will lay the foundations for long term, sustainable success, right across the strategy.

The priority areas for 2025 are a mixture of four foundational goals, which are to shift the culture, trusted welfare and safeguarding, stronger clubs and effective Learn to Swim. Then there are four enabling goals: build trust, connected digital ecosystem, outstanding people and grow revenues.

What about the aims beyond 2025, over the mid-term (the next 3-5 years)?

We can’t ignore the huge challenges facing pools, leisure centres and lidos. We’ve seen almost 500 publicly available swimming pools lost in England since 2010 and many more under threat as a result of ageing facilities, financial pressures on local authorities and increased operating costs (particularly energy and staffing). Therefore, ensuring access to water in the future will be a critically important challenge to address for everyone who relies on the water.

We also know that there remains much work to do to tackle the existing inequalities we see in both participation and swimming attainment levels so we have to retain a focus on making sure swimming is an activity that truly is for everyone.

How would you describe the current state of the aquatics industry?

It’s fair to say that it’s a mixed picture depending on what part of the ‘industry’ we’re talking about but I think if I were to try and sum it up as a whole then I would say the industry is in a fragile place.

It has been buffeted by a series of external shocks in recent times. First with the pandemic,

Swim England’s priorities for 2025

The One Swim England strategy identifies 18 goals in total, from which eight priorities have been identified for 2025. Andy Salmon explains each in detail.

Shift the culture

In response to the Listening Report, we will continue to rebuild Swim England’s culture and restore trust through a values-led approach that has been co-created with the aquatic community. We aim to create a culture where everyone feels safe to experience the joys of aquatics. Individuals are encouraged to participate, learn and grow, while also feeling supported to achieve their personal goals.

Trusted welfare and safeguarding

We have already made significant progress in creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to enjoy aquatic activities. We will continue to focus

on a person-centred approach, ensuring that everyone understands acceptable behaviour and can report concerns confidently and without fear.

Stronger clubs

Aquatic clubs are at the heart of our sports, striving to create exceptional experiences for their members, officials, volunteers, coaches and parents. We are committed to supporting our clubs by helping them deliver their core purpose and providing the tailored assistance they need to achieve their full potential.

Effective Learn to Swim

We want people of all ages – from toddlers to adults – to learn to swim and enjoy the benefits. To make this happen, we will continue to lead the way with education, support, and advocacy, helping more people become confident swimmers.

Build trust

Our members and customers will remain at the heart of everything we do, and we will ensure they consistently receive exceptional service at every interaction with us.

We will also continue to leverage our brand and voice to positively support the entire aquatics industry.

Connected digital ecosystem

We will create a joined-up and seamless digital journey, making the online experience more user-friendly for members and stakeholders, enhancing administrative efficiency for clubs and easing the administrative burden on volunteers.

Outstanding people

Aquatic activities rely on the tireless efforts of thousands of dedicated teachers, coaches, officials, tutors, volunteers and colleagues who make it all happen. Recruiting, retaining, supporting, nurturing and developing an exceptional team of paid and volunteer workers is essential to the success of our sports.

Grow revenues

We are committed to growing our revenue to secure a strong, successful future for aquatics. By prioritising self-sufficiency, we can invest more in both community and elite levels of our sport.

Recruiting, retaining and nurturing an inspiring workforce is among the strategy’s focuses

then energy price surges and rising staffing costs all whilst local authorities deal with increased demand for statutory services.

With the right support, I believe the sector is ready to fly and help tackle so many of the issues facing us as a nation. But that support is key. We need policymakers to recognise the importance of swimming and to support the sector to deliver what we know it can.

What are the sector’s biggest strengths?

Without a doubt it is the people. We are fortunate to have amazing people doing incredible things, whether that’s volunteers giving up their time so athletes have the chance to train and compete in the sports they love, swimming teachers imparting a lifetime of love for the water in children, coaches developing athletes right across the country, pool operators innovating to keep pools open and running, organisations like Swim Dem Crew, Unity Swimming and the Black Swimming Association working to tackle the inequalities we sadly see in aquatics.

Another strength for the sector is the government’s rhetoric around shifting the NHS from treating people in hospitals to preventing people getting ill in the community. It’s clear as day to me that swimming is almost unique among sports in its ability to support the health and wellbeing agenda.

I think this is a real strength of the sector – that ability to positively impact the health of the nation is a huge strength and a really powerful argument when trying to make the case for investment into pools.

And what about its weaknesses?

Ultimately, everything within the sector relies on access to water (even most outdoor swimmers will learn in a pool). That access is under very real threat. We’ve lost almost 500 pools since 2010, and more than 50% of the publicly available space lost in that time has been lost since 2020, indicating the pace of closures is increasing, which is definitely reflected in our mailbag at Swim England.

The increased costs of running pools, especially in light of the recent changes to Employers National Insurance contributions which operators have told us will cost them close to £100 million, coupled with the perilous state of many local authority budgets is a huge concern.

That’s why it’s so important that we do all we can to ensure the country continues to have a network of sustainable pools to support all the amazing activities that take place in them and are so loved by local communities who recognise their importance.

If you could introduce one piece of legislation to help aquatics, what would that be?

Can I be greedy and have a few? If so, one would be to get serious about school swimming and water safety, so that every child is set up to be safe in and around the water.

Another would be for the government to commit the funding necessary to deliver a network of sustainable pools fit for the future. Thirdly, I’d clean up and increase access to our outdoor blue spaces to support the continued growth in outdoor swimming.

SAVINGS POOL YOUR

Swimming pools are vital community assets, but their high energy demands present unique challenges. Richard Lamburn, Swim England’s Head of Facilities, o ers insights on how operators can make significant savings through improving their sustainable practices

As energy prices have risen and environmental goals become more ambitious, identifying sustainable practices that reduce operating costs – while also minimising carbon emissions – are becoming increasingly important. The good news is that there are plenty of energy efficient strategies that pool operators can adopt to make a tangible impact.

Understanding Energy Usage

The first step toward energy efficiency is understanding a facility’s energy profile. Regular tracking of electricity, gas and water usage - ideally daily or weekly - gives operators a baseline from which to monitor improvements. This data driven approach enables managers to identify patterns, assess the effectiveness of upgrades, and make informed decisions.

LED Lighting

Lighting is a substantial operational cost, especially in pool halls, where lighting is needed for extended hours. LED lights are up to 70% more efficient than traditional halogen bulbs, delivering the same level of illumination at a fraction of the energy cost. Additionally, LEDs last up to 25 times longer, meaning less frequent replacements and lower maintenance costs. LEDs can also offer various colour temperatures, improving the pool environment. While the initial installation may seem costly, the payback period for LED lighting systems is often only one to three years, with continued savings accruing over time.

Implementing Pool Covers

During non-operational hours, significant energy is lost through water evaporation.

A well-fitted pool cover can reduce this evaporation, decreasing the energy needed to reheat the water. Covers can also cut down on water consumption by limiting the amount of makeup water required due to evaporation.

IMPACT OF POOL COVERS:

l Energy savings: Covers can reduce energy use by over 200,000 kWh per year.

l Water conservation: Pools covered during off-hours use approximately 75 cubic meters less water annually.

l Reduced emissions: Energy savings can translate to a reduction of roughly 35,000 kg of CO2 emissions annually.

Investment Return: Depending on the pool size and cover type, most facilities see a return on investment within 2-4 years.

Thermal Insulation and Heat Exchanger Jackets

Heat exchangers are essential for warming pool water, but without proper insulation they lose heat, increasing energy costs. Installing thermal jackets on heat exchangers reduces heat loss and improves efficiency, as these covers maintain stable temperatures within the plant room.

The benefits include cost-efficient heating, as thermal insulation reduces the need for additional energy to compensate for heat loss. Another is rapid payback – thermal jackets are relatively low-cost, and their payback period is often less than 40 days.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are increasingly used in pools to provide an efficient source of heating and, in some cases, cooling. They extract heat from the surrounding air or ground, transferring it to the pool water. Heat pumps also support dehumidification, which is essential in maintaining air quality. They are hugely energy efficient. Heat pumps can achieve efficiencies of more than 300%, meaning they generate three units of heat for every unit of electricity used. They are also environmentally friendly. Using renewable or waste heat sources reduces greenhouse gas emissions. There is, however, an investment consideration. Heat pumps require a larger upfront investment. Their energy efficiency, however, can offset higher costs, especially when paired with on-site electricity generation, such as solar PV systems.

Places

Pool covers can cut energy use by 200,000 kWh annually, saving costs and reducing emissions

Solar PV

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology is one of the most effective ways to reduce reliance on grid electricity. PV panels installed on rooftops or carports capture solar energy, which is converted into electricity. By generating electricity on-site, facilities become less dependent on external energy sources, which is particularly beneficial during times of high demand or fluctuating energy prices.

As solar PV systems provide renewable electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, there are cost savings to be made. These aren’t only short-term either. With a lifespan of 25 years, PV panels offer sustained cost savings after the initial payback period. They can also help reduce carbon footprints, as each kilowatt-hour of solar electricity generated offsets emissions from grid-based electricity.

As with heat pumps, solar PV installation can be costly, but the investment typically pays for itself in under 10 years, especially with government incentives and grants.

Waste water heat recovery

In swimming pools, heat is often lost in the wastewater used for showers and backwashing. A heat recovery system captures heat from this wastewater and transfers it to incoming water, thus reducing the energy needed to reheat water for showers and pool use.

By capturing and reusing waste heat, operators can minimise the energy demand for water heating through energy conservation. This will lead to annual savings from waste heat recovery, which can be substantial, especially in large facilities with high water usage. When it comes to return on investment, the initial costs are variable, but waste water heat recovery systems typically achieve payback within six to seven years.

Ceramic microfiltration

Traditional filtration systems require frequent backwashing and are less effective in removing certain particles. Ceramic microfiltration, however, offers a superior alternative with higher efficacy and lower operational costs.

The benefits include improved filtration – as ceramic membranes remove over 99% of particles, including difficult contaminants – and reduced water usage. This is due to the efficient process requiring smaller volumes of backwash water. There is also a positive environmental impact: reducing water and chemical use supports sustainability. The investment in ceramic microfiltration systems typically pays off in 5-10 years, depending on usage and facility size.

Variable speed drives (VSDs) for pumps and motors

Most traditional pump systems operate at full capacity regardless of actual demand. Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) optimise motor speed based on current needs, making them ideal for pool pumps and ventilation systems.

As a result, operators opting for VSDs benefit from energy efficiency. In some cases, adjusting pump speed to match demand can reduce energy use by up to 30%. This can also lead to extended equipment life, as operating motors at reduced speeds minimises wear and extends their operational lifespan. The good news is also that Installing VSDs generally has a short payback period, as savings accrue quickly from reduced energy consumption.

Into the future

While there are already plenty of existing solutions and practices that operators can adopt, there are also a constant stream of innovations that facilities can utilise. Take the news that Octopus Energy was investing in a green tech firm, Deep Green, which could result in 150 pools having their energy bills reduced – by recycling heat from computer data processing centres. Processing data generates a lot of wasted heat, which Deep Green’s scheme aims to repurpose to provide free heat for energyintensive organisations such as leisure centres. Deep Green has already piloted a project using energy from processing centres to heat swimming pools, with the concept trialled in Exmouth, Devon.

The model piloted by Deep Green could save up to 65% on heating costs, while using waste heat from data centres decreases reliance on fossil fuels.

The shift toward energy-efficient practices in swimming pools benefits both the environment and the bottom line. By investing in microfiltration, heat pumps, pool covers, and other sustainable technologies, swimming pool operators not only reduce costs but also contribute to the push for sustainability. Embracing these technologies allows facilities to operate more sustainably and serve as leaders in energy efficiency for the leisure sector.

Places

St Sidwell’s Point – the UK’s first Passivhaus leisure centre

St Sidwell’s Point opened in Exeter in 2022, becoming the UK’s first Passivhaus leisure centre. It offers a wide range of facilities for the general public, including three swimming pools, spa facilities and a wide range of fitness spaces – including a 150-station gym.

The £44m centre was designed by architects Space & Place to certified Passivhaus standards, reducing energy use by 70%. The dynamic, contemporary design maximizes natural daylight in its urban setting and prioritizes clean air, CO2 monitoring and reductions in indoor toxins, following the Institute of Building Biology (IBN) recommendations.

It is the first public swimming pool in the UK to fully meet Passivhaus standards and has set a new benchmark for sustainability. It is the most energy-efficient leisure centre in the UK, designed to last eighty years while adapting to future climate changes. By using 70% percent less energy than conventional centres, it also shortens the payback period amidst rising energy costs.

It boasts a wide range of energy-saving innovations, such as the water source heat pump that is used to recycle the waste heat from the backwash water to top up the water heating. Once the heat is taken out, the backwash water is also recycled to flush the building WCs, contributing to an estimated 50% in water savings.

St Sidwell’s Point was designed and developed by a multi-disciplinary team

l Space & Place (architects)

l ARUP (structures, civils & services)

l Gale & Snowden (low energy & building biology consultants)

l LDA (landscape)

l Randall Simmonds LLP (cost consultant & client representative)

l Kier Construction (contractor)

l TClarke (M&E sub-contractor)

l FT Leisure (filtration)

l Massey Cladding Solutions (cladding & roofing sub-contractor)

l Dalesauna (spa)

l Technogym (gym fit-out)

While the upfront costs of designing and building to Passivhaus standards are often more expensive than other more traditional methods, due to the long-term energy savings that Passivhaus buildings bring, the payback period can be quick and the long-term savings significant.

St Sidwell’s Point was entirely funded by Exeter City Council as part of its £300m regeneration project, which will also bring updated housing, offices, restaurants and retail hubs to the city.

The game of rugby is growing globally, with more countries than ever playing the sport

SPORT IN FOCUS RUGBY UNION

English rugby has faced its fair share of turbulence in the past two years. But the sport is still popular and growing, especially on a global level. SportsNation looks at the future of the sport and the plans the RFU has for increasing participation

It hasn’t been the easiest 20 months or so for the sport of rugby union. The longstanding, rumbling concerns over concussion risks among players reached a crescendo in 2023, when former players brought legal action against the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and World Rugby – accusing the organisations of negligence in their failure to protect them from brain injuries.

The lawsuit coincided with the RFU’s controversial decision to lower the legal tackle height to below the waist across English community rugby, as part of efforts to try and make the sport safer across its grassroots. While welcomed by some as a genuine attempt to support player welfare – notably reducing head impact exposure – it was met with backlash from within the sport. Some, such as former England and Harlequins No 8 Nick Easter, even declared the decision as “farcical” and as “the death of the game”.

In October 2024 the RFU went even further, revealing plans to introduce a non-contact version of the game – called T1 – in schools, with the aim of halting a decline in youth participation. T1 emerged after an independent review, commissioned by the NGB (and led by Jon Coles, CEO of national schools group, United Learning), found “clear evidence” of a large untapped market in schools which don’t have a tradition of playing rugby.

The decision was seen as a win-win. “Schools with strong rugby traditions have concerns about injury, while those which don’t play the game believe it is difficult to introduce,” the report stated.

While the reception to T1 has been rather mixed, it is now nearly universally accepted that there

is a need to introduce more inclusive formats of the game – if only at entry level. This is because the perception of rugby as a violent game still persists in some quarters, creating unnecessary barriers for the sport to be enjoyed by all.

A bonus problem

In addition to balancing ongoing safety concerns, stagnating participation numbers and traditionalists criticising efforts to rejuvenate the sport, the RFU has had to deal with a very public “civil war” within its ranks. The ongoing turmoil was ignited by the publication of the latest RFU accounts in November 2024. The annual financial report showed that, despite the NGB recording an operating loss of nearly £40m, its chief executive, Bill Sweeney, still pocketed £1.1m for the year. His salary of £742,000 was bumped up by a bonus of £358,000. Questions began circling

PHOTO: PIXABAY.COM/ LAURABODENSCHATZ

Women's rugby sees 38% growth, with the 2025 World Cup set to inspire a new generation

whether such a bonus was appropriate when the financial pressures faced by grassroots clubs and individuals was having an impact on the sport. Further outrage was then caused by reports that Sweeney was one of six RFU executives who shared a bonus pot of £1.3m at a time when the union is making more than 40 people redundant.

This led to a number of clubs openly calling for Sweeney to step down, which he refused to do. However, it did lead to the resignation of RFU chair, Tom Ilube. The situation came to a head in early January after a letter, signed by 141 RFU member clubs, triggered a special general meeting. The RFU will now be forced to hold the SGM in March or April (after the Six Nations games) – a meeting which could seal the fate of Sweeney too.

Sunlit uplands

However, despite the well-publicised issues within the English game, it isn’t all doom and gloom for the sport. There are signs that participation levels across the UK – while still below the levels

seen in the mid 2010s – have been recovering steadily since the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rugby is also, on a global level, experiencing something of a renaissance.

The sport is now played in more countries than ever and increased investment in the game in every corner of the world – as well as the ongoing expansion of the Rugby World Cup – has led to the likes of Georgia, Chile, Portugal and Romania becoming regulars on the international stage.

The increased popularity of the game was reflected in a recent report published by World Rugby on the social benefits of the sport. It found that rugby participation currently contributes US$8.4 billion (£6.72 billion) in value globally.

Developed in collaboration with global management consultancy firm Portas Consulting, the report also showed that global rugby participation continues to rise following the pandemic. Figures for 2022-23 show how the total number of people playing rugby worldwide increased by 11 per cent during the year.

The RFU has been working hard to increase the number of girls and women playing rugby

There

There is also evidence that the women’s game is growing faster than the men’s. The report showed a 38 per cent increase in the number of adult female registered players and 26 per cent increase in registered adult males. Significantly, this increase is driven by teens and pre-teens, demonstrating global increase in relevance and accessibility.

The pace of growth in the female game is likely to further increase this year, thanks to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, being held in England. According to World Rugby CEO, Alan Gilpin, and MD of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, Sarah Massey, the tournament presents not only an opportunity to attract more players to the sport, but a “once in a lifetime opportunity to inspire new fans”.

Gilpin said: “It’s not just a breakthrough moment for the women’s game. It’s definitely a breakthrough moment for rugby, an opportunity to present a different face of rugby this year.

“A younger, more inclusive, more vibrant and definitely more family-oriented audience for our sport. An event that will move the dial probably in many ways that the men’s editions of Rugby World Cup either can’t or doesn’t currently do for us.”

If ticket sales are anything to go by, then the tournament will be a huge success. More than 220,000 tickets have already been sold, meaning it is now guaranteed to be the best-attended women’s edition ever – several months before it even begins.

Growing the grassroots

While the RFU is facing turmoil in the boardroom, it is still getting on with the task of growing participation levels and supporting its member clubs in their development. During 2023-24, it invested £30.5m in the community game. A further £7.6m was invested in Strategic Growth Fund projects – in line with planned business cases for investment into digital transformation, commercialisation of the women’s game and its stadium redevelopment project.

When it comes to growing participation, the RFU published its strategy in 2021, in the aftermath of COVID-19 disruptions. The strategy recognises the challenges the sport has – and the fact that participation numbers were already declining prior to pandemic.

In his foreword to the strategy, Bill Sweeney, admitted the sport was facing one of the

The RFU’s tackle height rule divides opinion: a safety boost or ‘the death of the game’?

RFU strategy – the eight priorities:

1 Enabling positive, enjoyable player experiences

2 Creating the best possible high-performance system

The LTA wan

3 Enhancing player welfare

4 Supporting clubs to sustain and grow themselves

5 Driving rugby union to reflect the diversity of society

6 Building a deep understanding of players, volunteers and fans to shape the future of the game

7 Connect with and grow the rugby community

8 Ensure a sustainable and efficient business

toughest periods in its history. The strategy was a response to those challenges and a blueprint to rebuild both at community and elite level.

“Through our strategy, we aim to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union and develop the sport for future generations, creating a successful and thriving game across the country,” Sweeney said.

“We aim to achieve this by strengthening and uniting rugby union in England and producing consistently winning England teams.

The RFU’s strategy has eight key strategic priorities, to which all of the national governing body’s investment decisions need to align. The strategy also outlines the RFU’s three core activities – rugby-related operations, commercial activities and running the business – which form the backbone of its operations and run alongside its strategic priorities.

From both angles, grassroots is at the heart of the strategy. “The community game is the lifeblood of our sport and it needs simple, focused support that delivers real benefit,” Sweeney said. “This will include support to become commercially innovative and self-sustaining, the introduction of campaigns and programmes to attract new audiences to the sport, facilitating change that improves the enjoyment and safety of the game and guidance on increasing diversity in club leadership and playing bases.”

The RFU still relies heavily on income from the elite end of the game

Despite the ongoing turmoil, the RFU invested £30.5m into grassroots rugby in 2023-24

Inclusive sport

Making the sport inclusive, creating rugby communities and ensuring positive experiences are one of the major strands of the strategy. In line with this, the RFU committed, in August 2022, close to £1m of additional funding to support the community game in its rebuild. The increased support is based on a whole package of measures targeting areas of the game most affected by the enforced 18-month break during COVID-19.

At national level, the RFU introduced a ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ campaign to drive participation among two key playing groups – 17-22-year-olds in the men’s and women’s game and male social players aged 30+. It also redeployed coach developers to provide targeted practical support to around 100 clubs nationwide to help retain players. The governing body also provided clubs guidance and resources for transitioning players from age grade rugby into adult rugby. At a more local level, the RFU earmarked funding to help increase playing and coaching opportunities, while also supporting students to find clubs close to their universities or to stay connected with their old clubs. In addition, the RFU undertook the most significant shake-up of the sport’s grassroots competition structure for 30 years.

This saw a reduction in the size of divisions at all levels below the RFU Championship (Level 2) and an

The RFU invested £1m to rebuild community rugby after the pandemic’s 18-month disruption

increase in the number of divisions at all levels below National League 1 (formerly level 3). The changes were a direct response to feedback from clubs and players and are designed to reboot and re-energise community rugby, improve player retention and attract new players to the adult men’s game.

RFU Director of Rugby Development, Steve Grainger, said: “During the pandemic we saw a decline in the number of games being played in the adult men’s game, while the women’s game stayed flat at a time when growth was planned. Both areas remain extremely important to us.

“We have already announced the biggest changes in 30 years to the men’s league structure to better suit players’ lifestyles. We hope the whole rugby community remains behind ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ as the game works together to encourage more players back to their local clubs.”

Lighting up

A Welsh rugby centre of excellence has benefitted from an overhaul of its lighting, with the new LED system providing flexible options for matches and training

The Ystrad Mynach Centre of Sporting Excellence in South Wales underwent a significant upgrade of its floodlighting system. This upgrade involved the installation of highefficiency LED floodlights and advanced lighting controls, enhancing the experience for both rugby and football players.

Originally installed in 2014, the floodlighting system was upgraded by SAPCA member, Floodlighting and Electrical Services. The company replaced outdated metal halide lights with energyefficient Philips LED floodlights.

The new floodlighting system offers three lighting options – 100, 200, and 500 lux levels. The lighting solution can be tailored for training or for matches and there is also a half-pitch lighting option when needed.

The upgrade was completed with minimal disruption and has transformed

the pitch, significantly improving visibility and safety for evening sessions.

Alun Ford, Facilities Manager at Caerphilly County Borough, praised the project, saying the upgrade has “not only improved lighting but also supported our sustainability goals.”

The centre’s facilities include a an IRB 22-ratified 3G rugby pitch, alongside a FIFA 2-star 3G football pitch. There are also two conference rooms, a strength and conditioning room, medical and first aid rooms, a community room and two grandstands.

The Newport Gwent Dragons use the facility as a training base along with local educational establishment, Coleg y Cymoedd. Office space on the first floor hosts the Newport Gwent Dragons coaching and management staff and some regional Welsh Rugby Union staff are also based at the centre.

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NET GAINS

More people worldwide are playing tennis than ever before. SportsNation takes a deep dive into the recently published ITF Global Tennis Report, which shows that participation in the sport now exceeds 100 million across 199 countries

The number of people globally playing tennis has risen above 100 million for the first time ever. The latest ITF Global Tennis Report, published on 28 November 2024, shows that there are just under 106 million people playing tennis at some level. The number is a significant increase on the figure of 84.4 million recorded in 2019 – the last time that the International Tennis Federation (ITF) compiled its wide-ranging report.

Global success

The ITF report is the biggest-ever survey of tennis participation levels, with tennis associations from more than 199 countries feeding data into a snapshot of today’s tennis landscape from once-a-year leisure players to top professionals.

It shows that the country with the highest number of tennis players is the USA (23.8 million). The good news is that, in terms of percentage of the population, Great Britain is top with 13.4%, followed by Canada second with 12.8%.

From a facility point of view, the report shows that there are 698,034 tennis courts in the world. Of these, a huge majority (91.2%) are outdoors. When it comes to surface types, more than half (55.3%) are hard courts – topped with acrylic paint – and a quarter (25.7%) are clay.

“The results show that tennis is very strong after the Covid period,” says ITF President, David Haggerty

“In 2019 we set ourselves the task of having 120 million people playing tennis around the world by 2030, as part of our efforts to develop the next generation of players and make tennis accessible to all. The significant growth in participation reflects the proactive and sustained efforts of national associations, supported by the ITF as the global guardians of the game, to expand tennis in a strategic and inclusive manner.”

There are some areas to improve, though. The data shows that the percentage of female players has fallen in the five years since the last report (in 2019) from 47% to 40.3%. This despite the fact that the actual number of women and girls playing tennis has grown by 8.3%.

Luca Santilli, the ITF’s Executive Director for Tennis Development, however, urges caution in interpreting the numbers. “The data we have in 2024 is more reliable than we had in 2019,” he explains.

“In 2019, 26% of our data from national associations was reinforced by additional data sources, whereas now 48% of the data has been bolstered by additional sources. It’s therefore possible that we slightly overestimated the level of female participation in 2019.

Tennis adds an estimated 9.7 years to life expectancy, making it one of the healthiest of sports

“What’s clear from our leading nations is that women and girls make up around 45% of participation, which means there’s still work to do, but the situation is not as stark as the 6.7% fall makes it seem.”

In any case, the research has helped ITF identify the need for more female coaches as a way of achieving gender parity – the report shows that just 24.3% of tennis coaches are women. Among the people it has talked to is Judy Murray, the mother and coach of two Grand Slam champions.

“Judy made it clear to us that girls need to be taught differently than boys,” says Santilli, “for example, girls see tennis more socially than boys, so this is an area for us to work on which will hopefully reveal more progress in 2028.”

Playing for health

The report also suggests that there is scope for the lifestyle benefits of tennis to drive further growth in participation. Around 45% of players in developed countries cite the health and social benefits of tennis as a primary reason for their participation. This is backed up by a 2018 study from the University of Copenhagen, which shows tennis as one of the healthiest sports in terms of prolonging longevity, adding an estimated 9.7 years to the average life, compared with 3.5 for swimming and 3.0 for jogging.

“Tennis is attractive as a sport for life with proven benefits to health and mental wellbeing,” Santilli says. “Recent market research found that 45% of people play tennis because of

its health benefits, and 40% of players are also inspired by the sport’s social side. All these factors combine to make tennis a mass participation sport that few others can match.”

High visibility

According to ITF President Haggerty, the popularity of tennis is also boosted by being “one of very few truly global sports”. “Tennis benefits from international stars at the elite level – both men and women – who provide inspiration and role models for anyone who wants to pick up a racket,” he says.

“The Olympics and Paralympics also play a significant role too, as both a global showcase for tennis and a springboard for investment at the national level. At Paris 2024 we saw again the Games’ ability to create heroes in our sport for aspiring professional and recreational players alike. The Olympics – alongside our World Cup of Tennis events, the Major tournaments and the Davis Cup – are also a powerful platform for the visibility of tennis internationally.”

The 2024 report is the third edition of ITF’s global survey charting the tennis-playing habits of the world – and the largest report yet. Santilli says that the data gathering has improved in the past five years.

“Over the last three editions of the report, nations have improved their processes for collecting and sourcing data, and we are confident that what is presented here alongside performance pathway data reflects the worldwide state of the game,” he reveals.

“The data provided by this report helps shape our development strategies for the future under our ITF2024+4 roadmap. Acting on insight from both this and previous editions, we are working on bringing more women into the game as players and coaches through our Advantage All gender equality programme.

“In 2019 we set an ambitious goal to have 30 million more tennis players by 2030, and I am delighted that we are on track to achieve this.”

The number of tennis players globally has surged to 106 million, a significant jump from 84.4 million in 2019

Event preview

HEADING NORTH

This year’s SAPCA Conference will be held at a new venue in Manchester. SportsNation previews the annual event

The SAPCA Annual Conference 2025 will take place on Thursday 27 February 2025 at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. It is a new venue for the annual event, which was last year held at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, home of the Leicester Tigers.

Educational elements

The one-day conference will feature an exciting range of high-profile speakers and a highly topical educational programme, as well as plenty of networking opportunities. The conference keynote speaker will be former England cricket captain, David Gower OBE. Gower played 117 Tests for England and captained the side in 32 Test matches – including the famous 1985 Ashes, a six-match series which England won 3-1. Gower, who has spent the past 30 years

in sports broadcasting, has become a muchloved commentator. At the SAPCA Conference, he will open the educational programme with a keynote on effective leadership.

Gower will then be followed on stage by another ex-elite athlete who has carved out a career in sport – Olympic champion cyclist and Sport England chair, Chris Boardman CBE. Boardman will offer delegates an insight into Sport England’s plans for 2025 and beyond. The strategy, called Uniting the Movement, was published in January 2021 and outlines a 10-year vision to “transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity”.

Boardman, who is a big advocate for active travel and sustainability in general, will also outline details of Sport England’s first ever sustainability strategy, titled Every Move. Launched in May 2024, the strategy is designed to help and support the sector to become environmentally sustainable, enabling

Speakers

David Gower OBE

Former England cricket captain

During his time as a cricketer, Gower was one of the highest-scoring players for England and is known for being one of the best batsmen of his era. He played a total of 117 test matches for England in which he scored 8,231 runs scoring 18 centuries.

Since retiring, Gower has become a commentator and spent more than 20 years at Sky Sports. He has fantastic knowledge of the sport as well as teamwork, leadership and being under the spotlight.

Chris Boardman CBE

Chair, Sport England

Chris won an Olympic gold medal at Barcelona 1992 in the individual pursuit. A year later he started his professional cycling career and over the following eight years held the Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France on three separate occasions, took three World titles on track and road and broke several world records. He was appointed Chair of Sport England in 2021 and now oversees the organisation that each year invests more than £250m of National Lottery and government money to help people play sport and take part in physical activity.

Tara Dillon CEO, CIMSPA

Dillon began her career in sport and physical activity as a lifeguard in her local leisure centre back in 1987, while studying. Having gained hands-on experience within local authority leisure and various management positions, she was appointed as Contracts Manager at DC Leisure Management (DCLM). After six years with DCLM, Tara accepted the role of Executive Director of IQL-UK Ltd where she remained until 2015, when she was appointed CEO of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

Tara has a passion for the sport and physical activity sector which drives her to constantly aim for improvements across the industry. In 2024, Tara was recognised with The Jan Spaticchia Special Recognition Award for her contribution to the sector

Andy Reed OBE

Founder, Sports Think Tank

Andy Reed OBE is a recognised figure in sport policy and governance, with a distinguished career spanning politics, academia and advocacy. A former MP for Loughborough (1997–2010), Andy served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Sports Ministers, chaired the Parliamentary Sports Caucus, and was instrumental in crafting the Labour Party’s 2010 sports manifesto. He played a key role in securing funding for UK Sport and supporting London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympics in his time at the Treasury.

greater opportunity for all people to participate in sport and physical activity, now and in the future.

Other speakers on the day include Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA and former Labour MP and founder of Sports Think Tank, Andy Reed OBE. Dillon will speak on the importance of creating a positive team culture within a business or organisation, while Reed will offer delegates the inside track on the Labour government’s plans for sport and physical activity.

There will also be a session on biodiversity net gain (BNG), which became mandatory for major construction developments on 12 February 2024. The talk will be given by Owen Faunt and Matt Bonney from GCP Architects, who will offer an architectural and design perspective into BNG. It will highlight some of the common pitfalls around BNG and offer pragmatic advice to developers and contractors.

Networking opportunities

The conference will be followed by the annual SAPCA Awards Dinner, held at the Emirates Old Trafford. To read more about the SAPCA Award finalists for 2025, turn to page 60.

“This year’s SAPCA Conference will feature an excellent educational programme and we are delighted to welcome Chris Boardman as one of our speakers,” says SAPCA Chief Executive, Richard Shaw.

“I’m sure SAPCA members and industry colleagues attending will find the content and talks beneficial. Networking is a big part of the event and we look seeing a number of industry colleagues from national governing bodies of sport and other organisations in Manchester. I would also like to thank our headline sponsor, Passport365, for its support – as well as our other sponsors, O’Brien Contractors, Hirebase and IAE.”

Event preview

We want to celebrate the positive impact that the facilities created by SAPCA members make in communities across the UK

BUILDING EXCELLENCE

Who are the finalists of the SAPCA Awards 2025?

The Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA) has announced the finalists for the SAPCA Awards 2025. Now in their 10th year, the SAPCA Awards were launched in 2015 to celebrate the achievements of SAPCA members across the sports and play facility construction industry.

Celebrations

As part of a strategy to grow the awards’ significance and recognition, in 2024 SAPCA made a number of changes both to the way the SAPCA Awards are delivered and the way winners are celebrated. These included setting six distinct awards categories and launching the SAPCA Awards Dinner – a networking opportunity which places the awards presentation ceremony at the centre stage.

“We reorganised the awards in 2024 and chose the six categories to reflect the new focus of the awards,” says Richard Shaw, SAPCA Chief Executive. “The intention was for the awards to really highlight the importance of highquality sports and play construction to those who benefit from it the most – the people and

communities who are the end users of the facilities that our members help design and build.

“While SAPCA’s core mission is focused on the technical standards and quality of construction projects, we also want to celebrate the positive impact that the facilities created by SAPCA members make in communities across the UK. This is important because, to make the case for increased funding for facilities, we need to show how our projects deliver outcomes in health, education and social cohesion.”

Making the cut

From more than 40 entries, the judges chose a total of 13 finalists across the six award categories. The winners will be announced at the SAPCA Awards Dinner on Thursday 27 February 2025 at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.

Commenting on the finalists, Colin Corline, SAPCA’s Technical Lead (and member of the judging panel), said: “We want to thank all member companies that submitted entries for the SAPCA Awards 2025. We received more than 40 submissions and the panel had a tough task in picking the finalists from a very strong field. This is evident in two of the categories having three finalists.”

FINALISTS

SAPCA Person of the Year

Adam Collier

Head of Sales, Fordingbridge

Louis Keeley

Senior Consultant, Labosport

SAPCA Young Person of the Year

Teddy Edwards

Project Co-ordinator, JHP Electrical Services

Ryan Latto

Field Technician, Sports Labs

Lewis Turnbull

Apprentice Electrician, Halliday Lighting

Small Sports or Play Project of the Year (under £350k)

Portico Sport

Project: Club de Padel, Manchester

Portico Sport completed a four-court padel club development in Deansgate in the centre of Manchester. At the heart of the project are world-class padel courts, designed for both serious competitors and casual players. The courts feature high-quality artificial turf and advanced lighting systems, ensuring optimal play conditions day or night. This attention to detail offers an elevated experience for players at all levels.

The team has also incorporated eco-friendly practices throughout the project, using sustainable materials and energy-efficient technologies. From recycled turf to water-saving systems, the club has prioritised reducing its environmental footprint – something that’s increasingly important in today’s world.

Jupiter Play and Leisure

Project: Inclusive play area at Stanway Community Centre, Colchester Stanway Community Centre is a great example of how inclusive design can enhance the right to play for children. Designed, supplied and installed by Jupiter Leisure, the design focuses on encouraging children of all abilities to be able to interact and play together. It is fully accessible by wheelchair users and is supplemented by a wide range of accessible and sensory play items such as accessible swing sets; dual-width slide; music and story ball; sensory zones; and inclusive assisted communication signage throughout the site.

Ryan Latto, Filed Technician at Sports Labs

Club de Padel, Manchester

Event preview

Large

Sports or Play Project of the Year (over £350k)

Jupiter

Play and Leisure

Project: Skypark interactive play area at Minehead Butlins

Jupiter designed and installed an expansive play park for Butlin’s Minehead to rejuvenate the play offering and improve customer satisfaction. Called Skypark, the project cost £1.5m and is one of the most expensive individual play projects ever installed in the UK. It boasts multiple zones for different ages, abilities and capabilities including areas for toddlers, children, teens and sensory zones.

Total-Play

Project: 10-lane “cricket shield” at Bradford Park Avenue Cricket Ground

The £2m project has been a game changer, a pioneering new facility that transforms a traditional outdoor cricket practice facility into a covered facility for all round use. Protecting cricket lanes from wet and windy conditions while encouraging air flow and maintaining a comfortable temperature, the ‘Cricket Shield’ provides the chance to increase usage levels of a typical outdoor non-turf facility without the prohibitive costs of a permanent building.

Dynamik Sport Surfaces

Project: Multi-sport sports facility at Coronation Square

Coronation Square is one of the largest multi-sport sports flooring and acoustic walling projects in the UK, creating a large 45 court indoor sprung multi-use arena and community space. The 45 courts allow for a wide range of sports and activities to take place within a community focused, inclusive facility, including less common options like pickleball, makes this facility particularly unique.

Sustainability Award

Herculan

Product: Full Circle

Herculan Full Circle is a 100% recycled Indoor polyurethane sports floor solution. While companies now regularly recycle artificial turf and athletic tracks, indoor sports floors have historically ended up in landfill. Herculan has created a solution which utilises old flooring, creating a product that doesn’t compromise on the performance of the flooring. The old PU floor is removed from the sub-base, ground down to a crumb consistency and reinstated as the cushion layer. The new base layer is then sealed, recoated, line marked and ready to be used again. The whole process can be repeated again and again.

Jupiter Play’s installation at Butlins

Polytan Sports UK / McArdle

Product: Rekortan Gel GT

Rekortan Gel GT is a non-porous gel track system, which replaces 60% of the materials with renewable raw materials. It is a major advancement in sustainable athletics track infrastructure and has been certified by World Athletics. The first seven-lane, 400m track using the product was installed at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth. By replacing traditional styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) granules with a renewable bio-based gel, the Rekortan Gel GT system saved over 50 tonnes of SBR, significantly reducing the environmental impact whilst delivering a high-quality performance track for athletes.

Product of the Year

Polytan Sports UK / McArdle

Product: Rekortan Gel GT

(see description in sustainability category above)

Carbon8 Lighting / JB Corrie

Product: Retractable sports and play lighting tower

The tower combines a uniquely designed light head that maximises uniform light coverage of a sports play area from the seven-metre raised column height, while keeping light spillage to a minimum. As well as minimizing energy consumption, the neat light footprint will keep neighbours happy.

PHOTO:

PHOTO: CARBON8/JB CORRIE

Coronation Square is one of the largest multi-sport sports flooring and acoustic walling projects in the UK

Carbon8 and JB Corrie’s retractable lighting

Padding it out

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has now adopted a standard that specifies minimum performance and durability requirements for shock pads and e-layers

ports pitch projects that include the use of shock pads now have a new standard to follow, after the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) adopted

EN 15330-4 – a standard that specifies minimum performance and durability requirements for shock pads and e-layers. EN 15330-4 was published in 2022 and has been followed by the development additional standards for Infills (Part 5) and Synthetic Turf Yarns (Part 6) which will published over the coming months and years. Martin Laidler from Trocellen gave a presentation on these updates at the SAPCA Technical Meeting 2024.

Redefining quality

The standard describes how the performance of a shock pad or elastic layer is measured. The document also specifies appropriate performance tolerance for production and on-site quality control procedures. It has been designed to enable developers and other buyers of sports surfacing systems to select the most appropriate shock pad or elastic layer for their intended sports surface. EN 15330-4 will also ensure that shockpads which comply with the new norm have been extensively tested on performance, longevity and to the toxicology and environment compatibility.

The Standard applies to all types of shockpad used within sports fields. These include prefabricated rolls and tiles, bound rubber granulate in situ shockpads, bound rubber granulate aggregate elastic layers and fibre and textile shockpads. To be considered as a shockpad, a product needs to provide shock absorbency of at least 20%.

According to Kai Wasmund, export manager of Schmitz Foam Products, the adoption of EN 153304 heralds a new episode for artificial turf surfaces.

“Gone are the days when covering a surface with artificial turf was all that mattered,” he says. “Artificial turf systems are engineered systems that allow for more than facilitating sports.

“These days, the life-cycle analysis (LCA) or environmental footprint of the product is equally important in a society that is increasingly focused on sustainability and the environment. Furthermore, with most sports infrastructure being funded by public money, it is important that society gets the highest possible quality and performance for an affordable price.”

Collaborative approach

EN 15330-4 is the result of a multi-year collaboration between various international sports governing bodies, national European authorities and the artificial turf industry. It has quickly become a very important document for the synthetic turf industry.

Wasmud explains: “Even when your key aim is to facilitate a sports field, you still have an obligation to consider aspects like the environmental impact and investment cost.

“EN 15330-4 describes how the performance of a shock pad or elastic layer shall be measured, and the results are to be classified in a common format. Architects, club management and municipal officers should use that baseline to identify components and products that facilitate the development of more inclusive and sustainable sports facilities.”

EN 15330-4 sets the baseline for safer, more sustainable sports facilities

Putting the standard into practice

A number of SAPCA members now offer shock pads which have been designed and manufactured according to the new EN 15330-4 standards

Regupol’s durable turfpad SP offers practical choice

The prefabricated elastic layer, Regupol turfpad SP – supplied by SAPCA member, Regupol – complies with the new European standard EN 15330-4. With this certification, Regupol offers a reliable solution that meets the requirements of today’s sports surfaces.

Thanks to the turfpad SP’s properties, both planners and users benefit from an optimum combination of quality and durability. The product impresses with its uniform thickness, which ensures constant physical properties over the entire surface. This property supports even wear and makes the layer an ideal base for various sports.

In addition to its durability, Regupol turfpad SP is water-permeable, which reduces water accumulation and ensures that the surface is easier to play on even in bad weather. This not only contributes to functionality, but also to a more sustainable design of sports surfaces, as it conserves natural resources. Easy installation saves time and makes Regupol turfpad SP a practical choice for sports and play projects.

Schmitz introduces shock pads for water-based hockey pitches

Schmitz Foam Products has unveiled its ProPlaySport13/250, a shock pad designed to meet the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) stricter regulations, particularly for ball bounce. At just 13mm thick, the high-density shock pad is the thinnest in the ProPlay range and ensures optimal performance for water-based artificial turf hockey pitches. Tested to EN 15330-4 standards, it meets the latest demands of modern hockey fields.

ProPlay-Sport13/250 is equipped with a permeable non-woven layer on both sides, providing robustness and stability. Expansion slots allow it to endure temperature fluctuations, while its high density withstands heavy maintenance equipment. With a lifespan exceeding two to three artificial turf cycles, it’s a sustainable choice for long-term use.

Complementing the existing ProPlay-Sport15/215, the new shock pad offers improved ball bounce compliance and shock absorption. Schmitz continues to innovate, with plans for a shock pad tailored to Dry Hockey systems. Made from recycled foam remnants, ProPlay shock pads are recyclable and environmentally friendly. With a 25-year guarantee, they outlast turf mats, offering relatively low operating costs over their lifecycle.

ProGame shock pads: sustainable innovation for sports pitches of the future

For more than 12 years, clubs in the UK have relied on the proven quality of ProGame – the brand of shock pads manufactured by SAPCA member, Trocellen. Now, as many of these fields are being modernised and the original turf is being replaced, the true advantage of the technology becomes clear: the shock pads can be easily reused.

ProGame shock pads have been installed at a number of football clubs – including Airdrie FC (Excelsior Stadium), Kilmarnock FC, Gretna FC and Malleny Park – delivering reliable performance for years, saving clubs and communities significant costs in the long term. They were also used at Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre. The same is true in the Netherlands and other countries where clear regulations govern the reuse of shock pads, making ProGame’s products a key component of sustainable field design.

“Our ProGame shock pads undergo rigorous testing by independent institutes,” a spokesperson for Trocellen says. “These tests ensure that performance levels match the original values –and under normal conditions, ProGame shock pads always meet this standard. That’s why we offer a 24-year guarantee on our products.

“Additionally, all our shock pads are certified to EN 15330/4 – the standard recognised by leading organizations such as FIFA, the Football Foundation, and other institutions across Europe. This standard was specifically developed to demonstrate the longevity and quality of shock pads.”

RevoSport provides fully-recycled shock pads

SAPCA member, RevoSport, offers a range of prefabricated shock pads, manufactured in the UK at its production site in Greater Manchester using 100% recycled foam trim materials. The pads are included in various synthetic turf manufacturers’ approved systems for FIFA, WRU, FIH and GAA, as well as MUGAs, where a variety of sports will be played, and used for play areas and indoor leisure facilities.

RevoSport’s customers work closely with various sectors in the industry, including elite professional sports clubs, universities, independent and state schools, local authorities, grassroots clubs and associations and private domestic clients. RevoSport shock pads have been included in a wide range of project types, ranging in size from practice hockey/football areas in people’s back gardens, to the first indoor baseball facility in Europe all the way through to large scale facilities including the world’s largest air dome facility at the time of completion.

Additionally, RevoSport has supplied to the largest standalone synthetic pitch facility in the West of Ireland, which comprised a full sized GAA certified pitch, two full-sized FIFA certified pitches and a full sized WRU certified pitch. The shock pads are supplied in rolls, making on-site installation easy, with a range of standard and bespoke thicknesses, widths and densities available on request.

Action Station

The long-awaited £13.5m Station Leisure & Learning Centre has opened in Mablethorpe. SportsNation charts the facility’s journey to completion

Mablethorpe’s Station Leisure and Learning Centre officially opened in July, signalling a new health and well-being facility for the seaside town’s residents. The journey to fruition had many junctions and, at times, the community just had the hope of what could be.

Starting out

Mablethorpe’s Station Sports & Leisure, which first opened in 1982 – then called Park Centre, before being renamed in 1997 – was in need of a major redevelopment, or even replacement. In addition, the town was in need of a 25m swimming pool. Although initial plans for a new facility were bounced around, it wasn’t until 2019 that the project took on a new direction with the launch of the Towns Fund Prospectus. The Connected Coast Board was then established, in January 2020, to oversee the area’s funding. With Connected Coast’s support, plans to regenerate the coastal resort’s leisure started to take a new, more defined turn. When East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) – which owned the venue – successfully sought £48.4m government funding for transformational projects, of which £23.9m was to support projects in Mablethorpe, hope was

renewed. Mablethorpe’s longed-for swimming pool started to become a realistic prospect and plans for a new Station Leisure & Learning Centre were officially tabled as part of the Mablethorpe Town Investment plan in October 2020.

Moving ahead

By September 2022, plans for the new facility were approved by East Lindsey District Council’s planning committee, and with £7.5m investment from the Government’s Towns Fund match-funded for the centre, the new leisure train could finally leave its former station. The ground was broken on the construction project On March 9, 2023. The former station sports centre was demolished and the signal was raised to start a journey of coastal leisure regeneration. Mablethorpe’s first public swimming pool was on its way. The project was led bu ELDC as part of the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership with Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council.

Arriving at the station

Located on the high street with its own car park, the £13.5m Station Leisure & Learning Centre officially opened on 18 July 2024. The multi-functional venue was designed by lead architects, Pozzoni and the

The new facility replaces the Station Sports & Leisure, which first opened in 1982 as Park Centre

Places

The benefits the Station

Leisure

& Learning Centre will bring to local people will be far-reaching and long-lasting

project was managed by Alliance Leisure, which delivered the development in partnership with a range of partners, including swimming pool engineers FT Leisure, mechanical and electrical specialists Hensall and ground works company Daniel Charles Construction. The team was procured through the UK Leisure Framework owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, with ISG as the principal building contractor.

“This facility is a beacon of what can be achieved through collaboration,” says councillor Richard Fry, ELDC’s Political lead for Station Leisure and Learning Centre.

“The benefits the Station Leisure & Learning Centre will bring to local people will be farreaching and long-lasting. For the first time, people in Mablethorpe of all ages can access a swimming pool and state-of-the-art fitness facilities without the need to travel, allowing more people to improve their mental wellbeing and fitness and learn to swim.”

Facilities

In addition to a four-lane, 25 metre pool and changing village, the 3,000sq m scheme includes a large gym including functional areas and EGYM, multi-purpose studio and group cycling studio as well as a MagnaTag indoor adventure area and soft play for younger children.

The centre is also served by a large café, social workspace and The Signal Box; a community space

The ground was broken on the construction project on March 9, 2023

bringing learning to the area. The development offers a new outdoor playground for the community, while a 80kW solar PV array has been installed on the roof with a view to allowing the centre to feed excess electricity back into the grid.

“The launch of Station Leisure & Learning Centre marks a turning point for Mablethorpe,” says Sean Nolan, Business Development Manager, Alliance Leisure. “This impressive facility will transform this small town, enhancing residents’ health, wellbeing, and education while also acting as a catalyst for wider regeneration.”

Impressive impressions

The venue isn’t “just” a leisure centre, but a leisure and learning centre. The Signal Box, a community learning space, provides a much sought-after space for community groups. The introduction of designated homework hubs, instead of vending machines, equally demonstrates the project team’s understanding of the importance of quiet space to fuel learning.

Operated by Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure and Culture, Station Leisure and Learning Centre has been developed to be “a people and placechanger”. In just three months, it has achieved a recognised benchmark year of operation, compared to previous performance data of the former venue and the original business case for the new venue. Behind the fasciae and footings of this impressive new facility, at its core is community – you can

Sean Nolan

Facilities include a large gym with functional areas, a multi-purpose studio and group cycling studio

feel its importance as you walk around the highquality facility. Magna Vitae has also added nice touches which mean that memories of yesteryear and the site’s heritage shine bright.

Archive photos of a landmark venue and the former railway station – from which the site gets its name from – adorn the walls. As a further nod to its heritage, the large café has been named Whistlestop, while the group exercise spaces are called Engine Room 1 and Engine Room 2. There is a certain harmony of memories of a place where family and friends would meet, the hustle and bustle of a community coming together, meeting new moments, together paving the way for a new chapter of a community story.

Community project

It is obvious that Magna Vitae went to great lengths to ensure that the development of the facility was a community journey – and that residents were on board before the first spade even went into the ground. A steering group of members and nonmembers proved critical in creating a blueprint of best practices. The result is a place crafted from the foundations of the town’s former station, which used to be a “community connector”.

“We kept asking ourselves whether everything we did had community at the heart,” says Naomi Wilkinson-Baker, Director of Operations, Magna Vitae.

“The steering group was pivotal in framing this. They gave us the uplift and motivation, reminded us of our achievements, and explained why we do what we do. This was not a case of ‘build it and they

It was a challenge to think about who our users are, our non-users are, what the town’s challenges are, and how we can overcome them

will come’. It was a challenge to think about who our users are, our non-users are, what the town’s challenges are, and how we can overcome them.”

Serving a need

Mablethorpe is among England’s top 10% of deprived areas, with the East Coast experiencing notable health and economic disadvantages. In its programming, Magna Vitae has been mindful of this, adding value and, through consultation with partners, gauging a deep understanding of community perception and barriers to participation.

The introduction of EGYM, used by 45% of the membership base, helps residents track their overall health and fitness. Over 1500 residents are actively engaged in monthly group exercise sessions, with Aquacise in the new pool proving to be the most popular.

The steering group informed the timetable, a carefully crafted programme with age labels removed for designated swim times, an inclusive approach, and a focus on creating a relaxed environment where varied needs and behaviours can be supported.

Staffed by a core team of 30 – which is seven times larger than the former venue’s four-strong team – Magna Vitae’s emphasis on community has allowed the venue to welcome a fitness membership of more than 1300 in just three months. The figure has already hugely surpassed the former venue’s membership base of 300 and business performance by some margin.

.”I’m excited about what’s to come and how we smash those barriers and get people exercising who wouldn’t normally have done,” says Wilkinson-Baker. “Simply getting people into the venue – even if it’s just to look around – is huge because it might well spark something in them to come and have a swim or exercise.”

Naomi Wilkinson-Baker

The venue is marketed as “not just” a leisure centre, but a leisure and learning centre

The town of

has been in need of a 25m swimming pool for some time

Mablethorpe

PlayNation UK

PLAYING POLITICS

A detailed report on the recent parliamentary debate on play

Interview:

Michael Hoenigmann

How has the sector changed in 30 years?

Amanda Gummer

The chair of API talks about the importance of play

The importance of Play!

Play England campaigns for all children and young people to have freedom and space to play throughout childhood.

We work with national partners and other organisations with shared aims to raise awareness about the importance of play. We lobby government to make fundamental policy changes to protect and promote play, and encourage everyone who has an impact

on the lives of children and young people to recognise and plan for children’s play.

Play England has also built up considerable experience and resources to help support individuals and organisations that work in these particular areas:

Government

Local Authorities

Schools

Playwork

We need your support

The new UK government is making positive noises about understanding the importance of play. However, against this positive backdrop, Play England is suffering from a lack of funds to pay for our essential work campaigning for children’s right and freedom to play. Donate today to support our work. www.playengland.org.uk/donate

www.playengland.org.uk

PlayNation UK

87 News

A round up of the latest news and most recent facility projects from the play industry

94 Interview: Amanda Gummer Chair of the Association of Play Industries (API), outlines why play is fundamental to childhood – and yet remains often overlooked

96

Accessibility in action

A playground in the heart of London is delivering on a promise to create a genuinely accessible playground for local residents

100 Playing Politics

Tom Hayes MP secured a parliamentary debate on the provision of playgrounds. PlayNation reports on the debate, which was seen as an important step in the ongoing efforts to promote children’s right to play

106 A giant of play

Jupiter Play’s Michael Hoenigmann has spent more than 30 years in the play sector. He recounts how the industry has changed – and why there is now renewed optimism for the future

John Challinor

Publisher

PlayNation

john@nationmedia.uk

Contributors

Tom Hayes MP

Labour MP for Bournemouth East

@TomHayesBmouth

Michael Hoenigmann

MD, Jupiter Play

@JupiterPlay

Tom Walker Editor

PlayNation

tom@ nationmedia.uk

Amanda Gummer Chair, API

@api_chairuk

Leigh Ingham MP

Labour MP for Sta ord

@LeighInghamMP

PlayNation UK

The importance of play and physical activity for young people

PlayNation, in partnership with Play England and SAPCA (the Sports And Play Construction Association), is dedicated exclusively to the dynamic and growing sector of play and physical activity for children and young people. Published bi-monthly, the magazine focuses on the policies, people and places that help young people to play and be more active. Subscribe now and we will email you a complimentary copy of the magazine every two months.

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PlayNation is published by SportsNation Ltd in association with Play England (www.playengland.org.uk) and the Sports And Play Construction Association (www.sapca.org.uk)

This publication is protected by copyright and no part may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this publication and PlayNation accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. Opinions expressed by the contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and we do not accept responsibility of losses or damages arising from them. Printed by BCP Media Group Ltd.

Multi-million pound play strategy launched for BCP

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) has published an ambitious, multi-million pound plan to transform and renovate its children’s play parks and teenage wheeled sports areas.

The five-year strategy will see an investment of £3.9million in phase one alone and includes replacing worn out equipment and “dramatically improving” provision across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. The proposal is to fund the improvement works primarily from the Community Investment Levy, paid to the Council by developers to support local infrastructure. In preparation to the strategy – and to gauge the level of improvements needed – BCP officers have visited every one of BCP’s 171 play spaces and examined each of the 1175 individual pieces of play equipment. They have established what equipment needs immediate repair, which spaces need general improvements, and which need total replacement and renovation or re-purposing of those spaces.

on of the plan will include an investment of £3.9million

BCP councillor, Sandra Moore, said: “This is really exciting. Every age will benefit, from infants to teenagers practicing on skateboards and bikes.

For far too long equipment has been

left to decline, and we want to turn that around. This will be our biggest investment in play in over 10 years.”

Phase One of the strategy is planned to start in Spring 2025.

Play Scotland CEO, Marguerite Hunter Blair, given OBE

Play Scotland Chief Executive, Marguerite Hunter Blair, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list. Hunter Blair has received the honour for services to Play, Learning and Health.

Play Scotland said the award recognises Hunter Blair’s tireless work to ensure every child’s right to play.

Hunter Blair joined Play Scotland 19 years ago and established the Scottish Play Commission. She also led the campaigns for Scotland’s Play Strategy (2013) and a statutory duty for Play in the Planning Act (2019).

Phase

Hunter Blair joined Play Scotland in 2005 PHOTO:

Accessible playground in Reading reopens after £462,000 redevelopment

The relocated and upgraded play area in Victoria Park, Reading has opened ahead of schedule thanks to a £462,000 investment by Reading Borough Council (RBC).

The accessible play area, designed for children aged between three and 12 years old, will be further complemented by an outdoor gym in time for summer 2025.

The design of the new playground was selected by local residents as part of a community consultation last year. It includes a mix of equipment, including equipment accessible to all ages and mobility levels. It also has a new surface to enable access for children and carers using mobility aids.

The new equipment offers fun and challenge for children of all abilities and includes swings, toddler and junior multi play units, play panels, an accessible see-saw and a climbing tower with a tunnel slide.

The design of the new playground was selected by local residents

Adele Barnett-Ward, RBC’s Lead Councillor for Leisure, said: “Outdoor play is essential for children’s health and wellbeing, so investment in improved play facilities is always money well spent. Victoria Park is a much-loved and popular community

park so I am delighted to deliver this fantastic new playground. It has been wonderful to see children enjoying the new equipment despite the winter weather, and of course by the summer we will have an outdoor gym to come in time for the summer.”

Ashford council reveals play facilities plan

The council will invest more than £170,000 in play

Ashford Borough Council has revealed plans to invest more than £170,000 in improving play and open spaces across the region. Rectory way, Kennington, a public open space, will receive £77,000 worth of upgrades from Section 106 funding to revitalise the play area. The new design has been guided by the natural landscape, adopting a fresh approach to enhance the space. The council will also be undertaking a further £100,000 worth of repairs across three other play areas: Westhawk Farm Play Park, Kingsnorth, School Road Play Area, Hothfield and Henley Meadow, Tenterden.

The council said it “remains committed” to improving local spaces by making them safer, more accessible and enhancing them through a “landscape-first approach”.

New revitalised play space for Stockton’s Ropner Park

Ropner Park in Stockton-on-Tees has a rich heritage as the area’s only Victorian-era park, but after years of heavy use, its playground required an extensive overhaul.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) appointed Sutcliffe Play to develop a design which would inject the park with new life. As part of the plans, Sutcliffe Play installed a range of new equipment, integrating them alongside existing items. According to the brief by Stockton Council, the new additions needed to challenge able young visitors, while guaranteeing inclusivity for

children living with many different disabilities. The finished space includes a new, imposing central tower providing a visual “wow factor”. It’s surrounded by a range of supporting pieces, including Sutcliffe’s new Medical Activity Centre, as well as ‘Pablo Penguin’ and ‘Wilbur Whale’ Springies.

Meanwhile, children of all abilities will find fun with the Inclusive Wheelchair Roundabout and an Inclusive Group Seesaw.

Tony Raine from SBC said: “Sutcliffe Play delivered a fantastic new playground which the entire community loves.” Children

Investment approved for Warminster playgrounds

Warminster Town Council has approved funding for new play park equipment in the town. Council officers carried out a detailed review of all play areas and highlighted the need to replace a play area gate and climber at a playground in the town’s Queensway and replace a tyre swing in the Lake Pleasure Grounds. Officers explored ideas and gathered quotes for the upcoming play area project, receiving interest from four specialist companies. Site meetings took place in October 2024, with three companies submitting formal proposals. Following discussion at the Parks and Estate Committee meeting on Monday 27th January, members approved the tender application from Kompan with the capital expenditure of £34,302 to be funded from the Earmarked Reserves Capital Projects. Kompan will now install a new under 5s climber and play area gate for Queensway and a Spacenet climber for the Lake Pleasure Grounds.

A new woodland is being created at the New Forest Showground in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, with the help of pupils from Brockenhurst Church of England Primary School and William Gilpin Church of England Primary School. The ‘mini-forest’ has been planted as part of a Hampshire

County Council Forest Partnership’s (HCCFP) commitment to grow thousands of trees in the region. Designed to create a place for families and children to explore and enjoy together, the area has seen the planting of a wide range of nearly 2,500 UK native tree varieties.

The park’s ‘wow factor’ is created by an imposing central tower

Playdale unveils accessible play range for younger children

Outdoor playground equipment specialist, Playdale Playgrounds, has launched a new accessible modular play tower range.

Called Little City Plus, the equipment features stainless steel modular play towers, designed specifically for children aged between 18 months and five years.

The range has been created to inspire imaginative play while supporting the development of cognitive, physical and social skills. It includes 10 newly designed units, one of which is fully inclusive and caters to all abilities, including children in wheelchairs and buggies.

This has been achieved through inclusive access ramps, transfer platforms, and sensory play elements at every turn.

“With Little City Plus, we’ve taken toddler play to a whole new level,” said Barry Leahey MBE, President of Playdale Playgrounds.

“This range is designed to inspire creativity, encourage active play, and provide a fun, inclusive environment where every child can explore, learn and smile.”

Packed with sensory and physical play features, the range is designed

to keep toddlers active, engaged and challenged at every stage of development. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to creating inclusive opportunities both within our workplace and through our products.”

New play equipment for Wollaston park

Councillors at the Wollaston play area

A play area in Wollaston, West Midlands, is undergoing a redevelopment which will see it benefit from an investment worth £80,000.

The improvements at the park – funded in part by a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – will include new play equipment for children of all ages.

Working with the local tenants and residents’ association, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council successfully applied for £72,500 through the UKSPF. The remaining £7,500 of costs are being sourced through Section 106 money.

The play area will consist of a toddler multi-play unit, a junior multi-play unit, a flush roundabout, a two-bay swing, springers, roll-over bars, seesaw, sensory totem and sensory panels, fun and educational thermographs and toddler seating.

The Little City Plus range encourages active play

PHOTO: PLAYDALE

sutcliffeplay.co.uk

SutcliffePlay

Inclusive

We design play equipment and play spaces that open up play to all abilities.

Quality

Our skilled engineers and fabricators all take pride in putting quality first.

Your local British Manufacturer leading the way with sustainability, quality and after sales support.

Sustainable

Sourcing and manufacturing locally is the most sustainable solution for all.

Our local designers are ready to consult and help design your next play project, give us a call on +44 (0)1977 653 200 or email info@sutcliffeplay.co.uk

Revised NPPF includes protection of formal play spaces

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has now been published and it includes a key amendment for the play sector – the protection of formal play spaces.

Published on 12 December, the NPPF sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The latest, revised framework replaces the previous NPFF which was initially published in March 2012 and last revised in December 2023. The amendment considering play appears under Section 8: Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities, specifically in Paragraph 104. It states: “Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields and formal play spaces, should not be built on unless an assessment has been undertaken, which has clearly shown the space to be surplus to requirements

Play England called the change as a “big manifesto win”

(or that it will be replaced by equivalent or better provision).” The revision could mean that Sport England may take responsibility for protecting formal play spaces in their statutory consultee role – which it already does for playing fields.

Play England has welcomed the change and is calling it a big manifesto win. It said the revision underscores the Government’s growing recognition of the importance of protecting, enhancing and providing spaces to play.

Lich eld looks for Play Street projects

Lichfield District Council is the latest local authority that is inviting its residents to take part in a new initiative which enables children to play safely outside their homes.

Play Streets, which is being launched by the Active Lichfield Communities Team, recognises that children want to play close to home, but this is often made difficult due to traffic and cars on the road.

Play Streets allows neighbours to close their street to through traffic for a couple of hours, creating a safe space for children to enjoy activities such as tag, hopscotch and skipping. Lead residents organise and run a Play Streets event themselves supported by at least four other volunteers acting as stewards to safely direct any vehicles that need to enter or exit during the activity period.

New children’s plan gets seal of approval in Gloucester

Representatives from the Gloucestershire County Council, the NHS, the police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Voluntary Community Sector Alliance have signed a charter committing to work together to make Gloucestershire “a great place to grow up where children and young people thrive and live lives of choice and opportunity”.

The One Plan for All Children and Young People in Gloucestershire sets out the county’s priorities for delivering this vision and commits to

achieving this by reducing inequalities, providing the right help at the right time for all children, creating an inclusive county that celebrates diversity, and providing effective services.

Dame Janet Trotter, Chair of the Gloucestershire Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Coalition, said, “The development of the One Plan has been a true collaborative effort by the agencies and partners dedicated to supporting our young people.

“It is designed to identify and support the young people facing the greatest disadvantages.”

Apedale Valley’s play area set for redevelopment

A children’s play area at a popular attraction is due for a revamp thanks to a local charity and funding from the county council.

The Apedale Valley Light Railway at Apedale Country Park in Newcastle is operated by The Moseley Railway Trust. The trust’s volunteers have developed the site since the railway opened, which now includes a popular play area for visitors and children.

The railway attracts around 8,000 visitors per year and, due to its popularity, the play area now requires a refurbishment. The group has received funding from Staffordshire County Council’s Community Fund towards the improvement costs. Improvements will include an extension to the existing area and the installation of a new surface. Work is expected to start during March 2025.

Simon Lomax, acting chair of the Moseley Railway Trust, said: “The grant will help the Trust develop this site amenity.”

Bromsgrove council investing in play upgrades

Bromsgrove District Council is undertaking works to upgrade and improve several play areas in the region. The works are a part of the council’s play improvement strategy, which will see improvements to play areas over several years. Tenders are out for major refurbishments of Charford Rec and Upland Grove

open space in Bromsgrove, with works expected to start at these sites in late Spring/early Summer.

The town’s Foxglove Way play area is also due a refurbishment.

Councillor Bernard McEldowney, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: “These upcoming works are fantastic news for the local area.”

The works are a part of the council’s play improvement strategy

THE VALUE OF PLAY

Dr Amanda Gummer, Chair of the Association of Play Industries (API), outlines why play is fundamental to childhood – and yet remains often overlooked

Why is play so important for children’s development?

Play is essential for children’s physical, emotional and social development. It helps build strength, coordination and motor skills while fostering creativity, problem-solving and resilience. Socially, play teaches cooperation, negotiation and empathy – skills crucial for life. In an age where screentime dominates, providing safe, stimulating play spaces has never been more critical.

What

challenges are facing play provision in the UK today?

One of the biggest challenges is the chronic underfunding of public playgrounds. Our research found that many local authorities struggle to maintain existing play areas, let alone build new ones. Playgrounds are often seen as ‘nice to have’. Rather, they should be seen as vital community hubs that support mental and physical health. Without proper investment, children miss out, especially in disadvantaged areas where alternative play options are limited.

How has the API been campaigning for better play provision?

We’ve been working hard to raise awareness through research and media campaigns. Our survey of parents revealed widespread concern about the decline of play areas. We also published data showing disparities in playground provision across the UK. These findings help us press the government for policy changes and increased funding. Recently, we’ve been calling for a national play strategy that prioritises children’s right to play with our Pathway To Play campaign.

Have you seen any positive changes as a result of your campaigns?

The Pathway To Play campaign calls on the government to conduct a national audit to assess the quantity, quality and location of public playgrounds. We’re also asking for long-term sustainability – dedicated funding for the installation and upkeep of free-to-

use community play spaces. We’ve definitely seen progress in raising the profile of play provision. However, much more needs to be done. We’re hopeful that continued advocacy will lead to lasting policy changes.

What can communities do to support play provision?

Communities play a crucial role. Parents, carers and local groups can lobby councils, participate in consultations and even raise funds for playground improvements. Being vocal about the importance of play ensures decision-makers understand its value.

What’s

next for the API?

We’ll keep campaigning until every child has access to quality play spaces. We’re planning more research to strengthen our case for funding. Collaboration with aligned partners in the sector and beyond is also on our agenda, as play benefits extend far beyond the playground. By keeping children’s needs at the forefront, we aim to build a future where play is prioritised. We all have a role in ensuring children can play safely and freely. The benefits last a lifetime –not just for children, but for communities as a whole. Together, we can make play a priority.

The play area was codesigned with local schools, parents and children

ACCESSIBILITY IN ACTION

A new playground in the heart of London delivers on a promise to create a genuinely accessible playground for local residents

Westminster City Council and Active Westminster have partnered to open the borough’s first fully accessible playground.

Located in Westbourne Ward, the play space – manufactured, and installed by Playscheme, a family-run company based in York – was co-designed with local schools, parents and children. As a result, the playground reflects the community’s unique needs and aspirations.

The £162,000 refurbishment also blends traditional and innovative technology to create an inclusive environment.

Gracie, a young person involved in the consultation process, played a crucial role in

designing equipment that accommodates wheelchair users. The climbing frame area, for example, is designed to accommodate wheelchairs, allowing children to engage in imaginative play together.

Other inclusive features include the ground-level Whirl Spinner, which offers easy boarding and seating for both children and wheelchair users, and the inclusive swing seat, prioritising safety and comfort for all.

Gracie said: “It was important to be part of the design because most playgrounds don’t have anything that kids who are in wheelchairs can play with.”

Sara, a local parent who spearheaded the initiative, emphasised the importance of shifting

perceptions: “To effect real change in our attitudes and behaviours towards people with disabilities, we must focus on shifting perceptions.

“The best way to achieve this is by allowing children to interact with and learn from these differences, helping them realise that our shared experiences far outweigh our distinctions. I am proud to be a resident of Westminster, a borough that champions community initiatives to enhance the lives of all its residents.”

Steve Danby, Managing Director of Playscheme, added: “This has truly been a special project to work on. What a pleasure to have worked closely throughout with Christine Powell from Westminster Council. We are delighted with the result and that it has been so warmly received by the local community.”

The aim was to revitalise a community space, enhance wellbeing and encourage an active lifestyle by addressing barriers to outdoor play. According to Rafaella Bertollini, Assistant Head Teacher at the local Edward Wilson Primary School, the project has delivered.

“This is an incredible opportunity for the children because they participated in the consultation and in shaping the design of the playground. It’s interesting to see how they enjoy the

We want to provide play areas that are accessible, inclusive, & welcoming to all families

playground and understand the purpose of these facilities like this bench which allows children in a wheelchair to sit and join other children.

“This is an amazing opportunity for them to see the completed refurbishment of the playground. It is also very insightful for them as it is the first playground that they have seen designed with children with disabilities in mind.”

Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, the council’s Deputy Leader, added: “I’m so pleased that we have renovated the Alfred Road Playground with accessible equipment. This will make it a much more welcoming environment for disabled children and their families and enable all our local children to play together and enjoy themselves.

“We know that many families of disabled children feel isolated, as accessing services and spaces is not straightforward and we want to do everything we can to provide play areas that are accessible and inclusive to all.”

The playground blends traditional and innovative technologies to create an inclusive environment

OF PLAY A GIANT

Jupiter Play’s Michael Hoenigmann has spent more than 30 years in the play sector. He recounts how the industry has changed – and why there is now renewed optimism for the future

Michael Hoenigmann’s career in play began with SMP Playgrounds in 1992. After spending a couple of years as Area Sales Manager for Scotland, he took up the challenge of relocating to Surrey to become the company’s Export Manager. The challenge back then was – in Hoenigmann’s own words – to sell what was effectively “coloured scaffolding” to countries that had far better designed playgrounds than we had in the UK. “That experience led me to the decision to establish my own business importing some unique and innovative products into the UK market,” Hoenigmann says and smiles. “So Jupiter Play was born in 1999 with a strapline we have to this day – ‘Out of this World’.”

After setting up Jupiter you set up another play company, before returning?

We started Jupiter in the front room of my home back in Edinburgh and worked with an industrial designer on an ad hoc basis. Delivering our first major project for Moray Council in Mosstodloch in 2000, we began to grow over the coming years to be one of the largest play companies in Scotland. In 2002, I then set up Proludic in the UK and had a fabulous time growing the business from a staff of eight to 40. I’m still immensely proud of the continued success of the business.

Jupiter Play’s SKYPARK project at Butlins

I quickly realised the profound role play has in child development and community wellbeing

We’re committed to innovation, sustainability & community impact

In 2005, I established a company called Inclusive Play as a direct response to the Disability Discrimination Act – and the fact that none of our supply chain at that time had the appetite for creating inclusive products. I’m pleased to see that this is no longer the case and am delighted that this business is also thriving with an excellent export performance. Returning to Jupiter Play in 2015 was a natural progression, having developed my managerial and business development skills and my understanding of play design and innovation. I was drawn in by the opportunity to have creative freedom to deliver more impactful play spaces that aligned with my values of sustainability and inclusivity. Today, I’m proud to be part of a team that pushes the boundaries of play design.

What originally attracted you to the play sector?

It was a happy coincidence that led me to the play sector, having worked in a building supplies company previously. I will always remember my mum telling me that the market must already be saturated. I was intrigued by the creativity and potential for community impact and quickly realised the profound role which play has in child development and community wellbeing. I wouldn’t really consider it a ‘job’ when you get to witness the transformation of an underutilised space into a hive of activity for communities.

How has the sector changed in the past 30+ years?

The play sector has evolved significantly since I joined in 1992, specifically the greater emphasis on inclusivity and sustainability. There’s also a growing recognition of the importance of play in community cohesion, mental health and wellbeing. However, there is too much reliance placed on procurement practices rather than play value and tangible outcomes for children and their communities. As a result of manufacturers striving to make things cheaper, many play spaces are being stripped of their excitement.

The most positive change has been the sector’s shift towards inclusive play; ensuring that children of all abilities can enjoy and benefit from play spaces. A key contributor to this has been the introduction of innovative technologies within interactive play. This offers levels of play that adapt to the user’s abilities to ensure they are actively engaged for longer, promoting healthier and more active communities all whilst providing live user statistics which highlight the return on investment. The gamification of play through interactives has been revolutionary. If I’d have to pick out negative changes, then one would be the stagnation in innovative play design and the reduction of landscaping within play areas have both been challenging. Most manufacturers seem to prefer designing flat wet pour areas surrounded by bow top fencing! It’s easy to argue that this is what the customer wants and that the

lack of maintenance budgets is driving this. Plus, more rigorous procurement means a substantial increase in admin time, effectively pushing up prices whilst providing less rather than greater value to projects. But I believe, as an industry, we can and should do better. Other countries are delivering much better play spaces, and we need to start taking inspiration from countries like Australia who have some amazing provision.

How would you describe the current state of play in the UK?

The UK play sector is in a good position, with a renewed optimism and public appreciation of play areas and green spaces post-pandemic. Play has been recognised for the first time in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and has been

debated in parliament for the first time in almost two decades. But we need to keep momentum up and showcase some of the fantastic and innovative work that is being delivered across the UK.

What do you see as the biggest challenges the industry faces?

Other than budget pressures, there are key challenges around educating buyers about the quality and sustainability of products and the life cycle of materials. We need to ensure that there are adequate revenue budgets allocated to new capital projects to ensure they are maintained to a high standard. You service your car every year, yet we expect to put a play area in and forget about it. Having to maintain a play area should be welcome news and is evidence that it is being well used!

The company is a finalist for two SAPCA Awards in 20225

The best play spaces come from true collaboration

And

what about the biggest

opportunities?

The greatest opportunity is for more collaborative working. Breaking down some of the barriers created by procurement processes would allow greater time for designs to evolve with clients and users. The best play spaces are normally delivered in this way. Can we really design anything of real value in a 4–6-week period whilst asking questions to a portal? There is very little opportunity to add value in this process! As an industry, we must create a tool which helps clients evaluate play value more effectively to ensure better provision across the board.

How would you describe Jupiter Play as a company?

It is a multifaceted company that embodies design innovation, consultancy expertise and turnkey solutions. We pride ourselves on being a comprehensive provider of outdoor play and sports equipment, offering bespoke designs and modern interactive solutions that cater for the children of today and diverse community needs.

What are Jupiter’s plans for the three years?

Since the pandemic, Jupiter Play has adapted and thrived by focusing on sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity. We’ve embraced digital tools and virtual consultations, allowing us to continue delivering exceptional play spaces while expanding our reach. Our Butlin’s SKYPARK projects are a testament to this, allowing us to work remotely and utilise innovative technologies such as interactive lighting to deliver exceptional play spaces.

We’re committed to pushing the boundaries of play design, with a focus on innovation, sustainability and community impact. We’re excited about the future and the role we can play in shaping the play sector. We have been collaborating on a PhD project evaluating different types of play spaces and their impact on children’s fundamental movement skills and look forward to seeing the results of this in the near future.

In the coming years, we are aiming to grow to a turnover of £10 million by further developing our design services, increasing our sales team and enhancing our product offerings. We are focused on delivering innovative play spaces that communities love, utilising our exclusive concept ‘KORE’ to challenge the traditional MUGA and doubling the number of Lappset Interactive products in the UK. And the success of our Butlin’s SKYPARK projects provides us with a springboard to increase our presence and challenge play within the leisure sector for the better.

What has been your proudest career moment so far?

One of my proudest moments at Jupiter Play was our company being highly commended in the Midlands Family Business Awards for Employer of the Year.

Reading some of the lovely comments that our wonderful team made on our submission made me very emotional, especially reading how our flexibility and support had made such a positive impact on the team. Hearing that our staff had never missed their children’s school sports days or plays because of our flexible working hours warmed my heart.

The company won an employer award in 2024

Designing play for the whole community

Designing play for the whole community

Less than 50% of play areas are accessible, fewer of those are inclusive. We work with clients to ensure that everyone can play alongside one another, in spaces built for the whole community.

n

n Design led approach

n Fully inclusive spaces

n Interactives bring together technology and play

n PiPA accredited

n n n n

n Full catalogue of inclusive play equipment

Gota project coming up?

Gota project coming up?

Talk to our design team today!

www.jupiterplay.co.uk

marketing@jupiterplay.co.uk

Tel: 0115 969 9859

Join our webinar series

Join our webinar series

PLAYING POLITICS

Play England worked with Tom Hayes MP to secure a parliamentary debate on the provision of playgrounds. The debate, which took place on 8 January 2025, was seen as an important step in the ongoing e orts to promote children’s right to play

The recent parliamentary debate on playgrounds presented a crucial opportunity to address the growing threats facing playgrounds. Among the play sector, there has been growing alarm over how budget pressures, competing priorities and the absence of robust national safeguards are leaving play spaces at risk.

Titled “Provision of Playgrounds by Local Authorities”, the debate – led by Tom Hayes MP, was seen by play sector leaders as a vital moment for the industry to voice those concerns and to strengthen the momentum created by the recent National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) amendment, which identified the protection of ‘formal play spaces’.

Ignored and forgotten

In his opening statement, Hayes said that when the government looks to fix public services, it should be on the side of children and include play as an important element of future planning. He also presented his view that the reason so many playgrounds and play facilities had been lost was that they simply had been ‘forgotten about and ignored’.

“We need to be as serious about the play of children as we are about the work of adults,” Hayes said. “Our country has trivialised play for too long.

“I am astonished that there has only ever been one national play strategy, which was launched 17 years ago. I am also astonished that this is the first debate on the subject in eight years and – at an hour in length – the longest for 17 years.

We need to be as serious about the play of children as we are about the work of adults

“Is it any wonder that our playgrounds are ignored and left rotting, when our Parliament barely discusses them and when the last Government to invest in them – a Labour Government – did so 17 years ago, only for their £235 million programme to be cut three years later by the coalition government?”

Health bene ts

Prior to the debate – with the view of getting people’s views on play – Hayes launched a survey in his constituency of Bournemouth East. He said the survey received 642 responses and, based on them, he had identified six major areas of concerns and points he wanted to bring to the debate.

“One of the main things that parents tell me they want from playgrounds for their children is a place to grow, to experiment, to push themselves, to learn alongside others and to be free from a screen-obsessed childhood,” Hayes said.

“They also mentioned that in a cost of living crisis, playgrounds give families places to spend time at no cost. They provide vital outdoor spaces for parents and families who do not have space at home and can also help to end the isolation that parents can feel; it is not just children who benefit.”

Hayes also highlighted how parents are aware of the huge health benefits that adequate play provision could help provide.

“In the survey, one parent asked ‘how can we keep our kids away from screens when playgrounds are broken, unattractive, a lot of times unkept and dirty’,” Hayes said.

“Some politicians tell children to get outside more, but it is not fair to criticise them for spending time on their screens, enjoying play in the only way they know how. It is usually the same politicians who have forced them, through policies and funding cuts, to shrink their world to their home or – even worse – to the smartphone in their hand.

Policy

“When playgrounds are being locked up or sold off and when parents lack safe outdoor spaces, where is left for children to go? Parents know that few of the social skills that children need as adults will be acquired through the scrolling of bottomless social media feeds.

“Anyone who has seen a two-year-old master the touch-and-swipe interface of a smartphone knows that we risk more and more children at younger and younger ages spending more and more hours scrolling through bottomless feeds. Parents are concerned.”

Play su ciency

During the debate, Hayes urged the government to look at implementing play sufficiency legislation in England, bringing it in line with Wales and Scotland, which already have it in place. He argued that there was a perfect opportunity to do so through the planning and infrastructure bill.

He also suggested that the government could give playgrounds the same status as sports facilities, by extending Sport England’s remit to play areas so that consideration of playgrounds becomes a statutory duty.

When it comes to local authorities doing more, Hayes wanted to see more authorities follow the example of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Pool Council (BCP), which has created a Plan for Play for the region. Based on its own research, BCP has brought forward a strategy that sets out how our play infrastructure should be managed, designed and improved.

Playgrounds: six points to consider

During the debate, Hayes brought up six points which had been identified as priority areas in a survey of his constituents:

1 Playgrounds should be places to grow, to experiment and to learn alongside others

2 In a cost of living crisis, playgrounds give families places to spend time at no cost

3 Playgrounds are vital spaces for parents and families who do not have space at home

4 Due to the lack of safe outdoor play areas, children are spending more time on their screens

5 playgrounds are important places for children with special educational needs and for their carers

6

Playgrounds can also help to end the isolation that parents can feel; it is not just children who benefit

“I urge the Government to mandate local authorities to map play facilities and their current state and quality,” Hayes said. “BCP Council did so voluntarily, not because it was mandated. I commend the council for agreeing to the Plan for Play strategy.”

A clear strategy, Hayes argued, would encourage more children and young people to discover outdoor play and spend less time on screens. This would lead to benefits in both physical and mental health, as well as strengthen communities.

“Young brains are being rewired,” Hayes warned. “We want children to be children, because that is a good thing in its own right, but we must keep it in mind that the growing number of children hooked on social media today may become a growing number of patients of mental health services and economically inactive adults. This will contribute to less in tax to the Treasury while increasing demand on already strained publicly funded services.

“Just as our predecessors in Parliament passed legislation more than a century ago to protect children against work-based childhoods, we can pass a safer phones Bill to make smartphones less addictive for children.” The full debate can be watched at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IDiKrL8GWI

Tom Hayes MP led the debate

Playgrounds provide vital outdoor spaces for families who lack space at home and help end the isolation parents can feel

During the debate 12 MPs made comments. Here are some of them

Jim Shannon MP – DUP (Strangford)

If we ask any councillor in any borough of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland about playground provision, they will say that one of the biggest issues they face is not simply securing funding for play parks, but upkeep and the need for better provision of disabled access equipment. It happens all the time. Outdoor play is critical for children to reach their full potential.

Leigh Ingham – Labour (Stafford)

I am concerned that there are not enough accessible parks, and that those that are accessible are not similarly so for neurodiverse children. To truly cater for SEND children, both with physical disabilities and neurodiversity, playground design must go beyond a sticking-plaster approach. We need well thought out, fit-for-purpose equipment that prioritises sensory play and safety. That includes sensory equipment items that are both functional and inviting, and spaces that are designed to reduce overstimulation.

Helen Maguire – Liberal Democrats (Epsom and Ewell)

As policymakers, we often focus on the physical education of our children, but playgrounds are about so much more than exercise. They are where children learn to navigate risk, build relationships and develop the resilience that will serve them for life. However, according to the 2024 green space index, 2.3 million children in Britain under the age of nine, which is nearly one third, live more than a 10-minute walk from their nearest playground. That is a stark indicator of a growing play crisis in our country. Playgrounds are vital spaces where children explore their world and themselves. Through play, they develop social skills, creativity and cognitive abilities. They learn to assess and embrace risk, make decisions and form friendships. Playgrounds are incubators for resilience, teaching children the skills to thrive in a challenging world.

Tackling health through play

Durham County Council’s Leisure Transformation Programme is modernising leisure provision across the county and creating affordable, inclusive spaces that bring families together and encourage active play

There’s an abundance of evidence that demonstrates the positive impact of active play on children’s mental, physical and social development,” says Councillor James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for resources, investment and assets. “Yet, active play is becoming less prevalent in their daily lives.

Rowlandson has a point. A recent national study of 1,000 children aged 11-14 – commissioned by ukactive and conducted by children and family insights agency Beano Brain – reported that just over half of children surveyed (53 per cent) spend more than six hours a day on a device. This leaves very little time for other forms

Active play can instil lifelong habits for

a healthier, happier society

of play. Sport England’s recent ‘Active Lives Children and Young People’ survey backs this up, reporting less than half (47.8 per cent) of children in England are achieving the government’s recommended 60 minutes of activity per day.

Despite screens currently dominating children’s play time, only 26 per cent of children surveyed said they would prefer to be on a device than being physically active. In other words – a huge majority would prefer exercise-based play.

Rowlandson says that the council has recognised the issue and is now taking action. “Across County Durham we are tackling these issues head on by creating engaging, safe and inclusive environments where children and families can

enjoy being physically active together in a noncompetitive way,” he reveals. “By investing in active play we have a chance to turn the tide on inactivity and instil lifelong habits that lead to a healthier, happier and more prosperous society.”

Investment in county-wide high-impact play facilities

To date, the council has invested more than £1.75million in play-focused facilities as part of a wider investment in its leisure centre modernisation programme, part of its Leisure Transformation Programme.

“The Leisure Transformation Programme has, so far, delivered extensive active play provision

Places

Most kids prefer exercise-based play over screens

at four key leisure venues: Abbey Leisure Centre, Peterlee Leisure Centre, The Louisa Centre and Spennymoor Leisure Centre,” Rowlandson explains.

Drawing on the expertise of Alliance Leisure, employed through the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Leisure, the council now offers a range of active play spaces that combine imaginative design with technology to balance fun, physical activity and entertainment. The result? Destination venues offering services and programs tailored to target age groups where families are choosing to spend their leisure time.

For example, Abbey Adventure at Abbey Leisure Centre combines zones for under-8s featuring multi-storey soft play with areas for older children like trampolines, parkour blocks and interactive TAGactive challenges. Peterlee’s Play Zone, the county’s largest soft play space built over three tiers, includes a spacious toddler area and is designed to meet the needs of the community.

In Stanley, The Louisa Centre offers a mix of soft play, a TAGactive Arena featuring multilevel interactive challenges, and an auto-belay climbing experience with late-night sessions catering specifically to older children and teens. In addition, Spennymoor Leisure Centre integrates a two-story Play Zone with a beach-style pool. By offering accessible pricing and features that appeal to diverse communities, these facilities are reshaping family recreation while promoting physical activity and addressing health inequalities.

A broader strategy for community wellbeing

To complement its dedicated play facilities, the council has also developed a range of new services housed under its county-wide ‘Thrive’ brand.

Thrive Kitchen cafés serve affordable, healthy food options alongside traditional treats, with menus designed to suit a range of dietary preferences. Redesigned family changing villages and accessible amenities add to an environment where families can spend quality time together whilst being encouraged to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Early analysis of the council’s investment in play is promising. “Across Abbey Leisure Centre, Peterlee Leisure Centre and The Louisa Centre, more than 39,000 children have visited our soft play, with over 6,000 children using the facility at The Louisa Centre in the first three months of opening,” Rowlandson says.

“This is a mix of existing visitors using the facilities more and, encouragingly, families that had not previously visited one of our leisure centres. Families are also travelling from further afield.

Traditionally, our leisure centres have attracted families from a 10-minute drive time. The new play facilities, especially those like TAGactive, have extended our catchment to a 20-minute drive time.”

The council has also addressed and extended its programming to include SEND-friendly sessions and a Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAFF). This is increasing engagement, with feedback highlighting improvements in children’s confidence, social skills and physical health.

“We are also seeing a positive ripple effect beyond play. Fitness memberships have risen at the centres with soft play, indicating that the investment is tempting families to explore other physical activity options,” says Cllr Rowlandson.

“This is promising not only in terms of engagement but also in enhancing the commercial

performance of the centres, creating a more financially sustainable future for the facilities.”

A vision for the future

Looking ahead, the council plans to extend its investment in play with a new build leisure centre in Bishop Auckland. This site will feature a large soft play zone and Thrive Kitchen facilities, broadening access to high-quality, affordable activity options for more people.

As the transformation programme progresses, the council is not simply modernising facilities, it is building healthier, more connected communities. For public sector leisure officers and professionals, this story demonstrates the power of thoughtful investment in play to deliver lasting social and economic benefits.

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