The British Gas Free Family Swim promotion runs until March 31, 2010, and offers every British Gas customer the opportunity for up to two adults and three children to swim for free at one of the participating centres.

What is the company's approach to energy conservation? Our environmental policy sets out our corporate approach, which is led and endorsed by the Board through the chief executive to all employees.

Perhaps the most significant result from the latest survey is that the number of clients that would strongly recommend' DC Leisure has increased from 41% in 2006 to 52% in 2009.

Tell us about Sport Hampshire and Isle of Wight (IOW) County Sports Partnership (CSP) and what it does?

Renowned for its innovative and forward thinking approach to improving the public health provision for local residents, NHS Rotherham has once again teamed up with DC Leisure to provide a ground-breaking new initiative.

Staff at the Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex are celebrating after obtaining one of the country's highest audit scores for sports and leisure facilities. The centre was awarded 87% in its recent Quest accreditation assessment for excellent standards of service, management and customer care.

Making the Sport More Accessible to the Wider Community. Work starts next month on four new outdoor tennis courts at Fleming Park Leisure Centre in Hampshire.

DC Leisure has teamed up with leading five and six-a-side football provider, Azzurri Fives, in a move that will extend the range of opportunities for activity and leisure in the local community.

Following DC Leisure's fantastic Quest Sports Development score of 83% last year, the company has just completed an equally successful maintenance visit to ensure that its improvement plan is on target.

DC Leisure has introduced a new training element specifically for its fitness staff.

DC Leisure has appointed Clare Hayler to the role of Human Resources Manager. She joined the company in October, having spent six years with the car rental firm, Avis.

Creating opportunities for increased participation and broadening the appeal of sport and leisure among different sections of the community is a top priority for all local authorities. DC Leisure has developed a number of key partnerships to help facilitate and encourage more people to get active, one of which is with Urban Rebounding.

With 69 pools across the estate, swimming is a key component of DC Leisure's business. Mark Haslam, Group Swimming Manager, takes time out from his busy schedule to talk about the company's swimming strategy and some recent successes.

DC Leisure has been praised by Rushmoor Borough Council (RBC) following the presentation of its annual Service Delivery Plan. The company, which manages three sites on behalf of the Council, was recognised for its policy of continual improvement, ongoing investment in the facilities, commitment to increasing participation and approach to environmental management.

Statistics from the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) have revealed that more than 200,000 people across the UK participated in the inaugural MoreActive4Life campaign during the summer.

Welcome to the latest edition of our ezine. I usually use this opportunity to highlight a topical issue facing our industry or business. However, on this occasion, I'm going to break with tradition, as I'd like to share some good news with you.

The opening of Alfreton Swimming Pool last month completed the final phase of a £22m project to upgrade the leisure facilities across Amber Valley.

DC Leisure is working with the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) to run an Activity Buddy Scheme, which aims to increase participation of disabled people in sport.

DC Leisure is working in partnership with Health2Fitness Ltd, in an agreement which makes the company the exclusive supplier of Urban Rebounding equipment and the accompanying REPs Accredited Instructor Training across the DC Leisure estate.

Jo Talbot, DC Leisure's Group Lifeguard Manager, has qualified as a Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) National Trainer Assessor (NTA) and is now able to deliver courses and train Trainer Assessors

Visitors to Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre were treated to an awe-inspiring display of sporting excellence last week, when the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team played two pre-arranged training matches.

DC Leisure has appointed Marie Hepburn as Programme Manager of the Carnegie Club, the new childhood obesity initiative being launched in Rotherham.

Following Sarah Leonie's promotion to the role of Group Fitness Manager, DC Leisure has restructured its fitness team and appointed three new Regional Fitness Managers.

DC Leisure can now add the ISPAL Active Health and Physical Activity Programme Award to its list of achievements.

DC Leisure has been working in partnership with Winchester City Council to help it achieve the Customer Service Excellence Standard.

We talk to ISPAL's Chief Executive, Sue Sutton, about some of the initiatives the professional body has been working on, its plans for the future and the fact that she once wanted to be a concert pianist!

Sarah Leonie provides an overview of the latest news from the fitness department:

DC Leisure has been awarded a £5000 operator grant by the Swimathon Foundation to support swimming related training and education.

DC Leisure is working in partnership with NHS Rotherham to launch a ground breaking programme designed to reduce obesity levels in the town.

Wellingborough Borough Council has praised two facilities managed by DC Leisure for their outreach programmes within the community.

The Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Kingston-upon-Thames has been awarded 79% for its recent Quest assessment, putting it in the highly commended category and making it one of the top performing sites in the DC Leisure portfolio.

DC Leisure has appointed Sarah Leonie to the position of Group Fitness Manager.

Rotherham Leisure Complex was officially opened by HRH the Earl of Wessex on January 23, 2009, with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque. The ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr. Ann Russell...

The Arena Leisure Centre in Camberley was officially re-opened on January 21, 2009, following a £1.7m refurbishment.

DC Leisure is delighted to have won the category for Demonstrating Corporate Commitment' at the first annual Inclusive Fitness Awards sponsored by Cybex.

Steve Philpott, Chief Executive, looks ahead to 2009 and building relationships with health practitioners to promote physical activity as a core part of their interventions for patients.

DC Leisure has launched into the Contract Catering market under the trademark of Centre Catering' providing a dedicated catering service to the Local Authority leisure sector.

Waendel Leisure Centre in Wellingborough joined forces with its local Age Concern branch to run the Fit as a Fiddle' campaign, a programme of education and activities aimed at those over 60.

DC Leisure has been voted the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) Operator of the Year 2008/2009 in recognition of its continuous commitment to raising standards within the leisure industry and engaging with the local community.

The official opening of the Gymnastics Academy at Alfreton Leisure Centre took place on November 25. The event was attended by the Mayor and Consort of Amber Valley Borough Council, Cllr Jean Gemmell, the chairman of British Gymnastics, Alan Somerville OBE and the Partnership Director of Derbyshire Sport, David Joy.

Richard Millard, Client Relations and Sports Development Director of DC Leisure, has been appointed as Chairman of the Advisory Board to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight County Sports Partnership.

DC Leisure has been awarded the contract to manage High Peak Borough Council's leisure and swimming facilities. The ten year partnership includes four sites, Buxton Swimming Pool, Glossop Leisure Centre, Glossop Pool and New Mills Leisure Centre.

A celebration to mark the completion of the new Rotherham Leisure Complex was held on Friday October 24. It was attended by officers of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC), local politicians and representatives from DC Leisure to denote the next phase of the £35m Rotherham PFI project.

The Olympiad Leisure Centre, which is managed by DC Leisure on behalf of North Wiltshire District Council, is delighted to announce that it has increased its Quest score to 75 per cent. This achievement shows a 15 per cent increase since its last assessment in 2006.

The Malden Centre, managed by DC Leisure, will be adding a ladies-only exercise club to complement their existing product offering. Local female residents are set to benefit from an innovative and tailored exercise experience, which focuses on the specific needs and objectives of women.

We at DC Leisure were delighted to hear about the Government's free swimming initiative. It's a very welcome contribution to the battle against obesity and physical inactivity.

DC Leisure has become the first leisure management company to apply the new 'Culture and Sport Improvement Toolkit' to its operation. The company has conducted self-assessment against a version of this benchmark, adapted for a commercial leisure management organisation.

The Arena Leisure Centre is to undergo a £1.7million refurbishment as part of a commitment from Surrey Heath Borough Council and its leisure partner DC Leisure to improve facilities for the local community.

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has formed a partnership with DC Leisure and other partners to activate the Active Living Project. This project is part of the Local Area Agreement and has received £75,000 in funding from the Government.

Issue 1 2008 D C Leisure Newsletter