WELLS LEISURE CENTRE and Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre have achieved their highest ever scores from Quest, a nationally recognised scheme for measuring the quality of leisure centres.Wells Leisure Centre received a score of 82%, which places the centre in the award’s ‘Highly Commended’ category. The new score is the highest that an Aval-on Leisure managed Centre has ever achieved.Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre’s score of 78% is also a Centre-best and, like Wells, put them in Quest’s ‘Highly Com-mended’ category.Quest is used as a tool for con-tinuous improvement, designed primarily for the management of leisure facilities and leisure devel-opment. Quest defines industry standards and good practice and encourages their ongoing devel-opment and delivery within a customer focused management framework.Wells Leisure Centre’s latest score commended the centre for the way it is managed, what facilities it has to offer and how it meets the needs of its customers.Centre Manager Jackie Treasure said: “Our centre benefits from a dedicated team and they have all worked hard to achieve this amazing result. “Being in the category of ‘Highly Commended’ confirms the com-mitment that our team members continue to show to the centre and customers alike.”Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre Manager Al Wood

added: “I’m extremely proud of all of my team for this fantastic achievement. “This score shows how commit-ted we are to continuous im-provement at our centre.”ABOVE (left to right): Councillor Jim Barron, Wells Leisure Centre Manager Jackie Treasure, Avalon Leisure Managing Director Rob Taylor, Councillor Harvey Siggs.RIGHT (left to right): Strode Swim-ming Pool Duty Officer Shannon Coombes, Centre Manager Al Wood, Duty Manager Harry Frost, Duty Manager Paul Mason.

Avalon LeisureApril 2011 | Newsletter Two

www.avalonleisure.co.uk | Enquiries Hotline: 01458 444915

Our Quest to be the best!

www.avalonleisure.co.uk | Enquiries Hotline: 01458 444915

News

‘Race For Red’ raises over £780 for the British Heart FoundationCUSTOMERS and staff at Avalon’s Leisure Centres managed to raise more than £780 for the British Heart Foundation after a spon-sored 6-hour-long cycle race.

Avalon Leisure, who runs Wells Leisure Centre, Strode Swimming Pool, Frome Leisure Centre and the Avalon Lifestyle Centre at Farrington Golf Club, hosted the

inaugural ‘Race for Red’ as part of the charity’s National Wear Red Day on Friday 25th February.In total, £784.72 was raised for the company’s corporate charity partner. We’d like to give a spe-cial mention to Christian and Jess Lockyer who managed to raise £134 towards that total through a ‘Just Giving’ page on the internet asking for sponsorship.‘Race for Red’ saw the different Centres race each other to see who could post the biggest ac-cumulative distance over the 6 hour period. Frome Leisure Cen-tre came out on top, cycling a massive 374.90km, just pipping Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre to the post by the small matter of 700 metres.The total distance cycled across all four centres, an astonishing

1,389km, is equivalent to cycling from the company’s headquar-ters in Street to the Spanish capi-tal Madrid.Marketing Co-ordinator Brendon Mitchell said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took part in the race and who donated so gener-ously to what is a great cause.”

MENDIP DISTRICT COUNCIL has reduced its carbon footprint by funding the installation of new electronic swimming pool covers at Avalon’s leisure centres.Councillor Jim Barron, portfolio holder for leisure, commissioned the state of the art covers to be

fitted at Avalon Leisure’s three swimming pools in Street, Wells and Frome in June of last year.Compared to the corresponding seven month period in the previ-ous year, the covers have already reduced gas usage by 13% and electricity usage by 3%.

Avalon Leisure Managing Direc-tor Rob Taylor said: “We are de-lighted to be working with Men-dip District Council in this way to enable us to help reduce their carbon foot print. “The new covers have already made a huge difference since

they’ve been in place by saving a massive 90265 kg of CO2.“Now we feel that we have a far greater understanding of how to get the best out of the equip-ment we are confident that as time goes on this figure will only become more impressive.”

Avalon pool covers help Mendip District Council go green

STRODE SWIMMING POOL and Fitness Centre, run by Avalon Lei-sure, has been donated a set of brand new bicycle racks.The racks were donated by ‘Park That Bike’ in association with

Somerset County Council, who are aiming to improve cycle park-ing in the county.Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre is encouraging cus-tomers to cycle or walk to the

Centre as a way of warming up for their exercise routine.Duty manager Gemma Withers said: “Regular cyclists are able to enjoy a better level of fitness and cycling can also be much quicker

during rush hours anyway.“This will also save our custom-ers splashing out on parking fees, and in term time will hopefully also ease the strain on our al-ready over-stretched car park.”

New racks mean cyclists can ‘Park That Bike’

RESIDENTS in Frome will now be able to purchase swimming vouchers for Frome Leisure Cen-tre from the town’s new Tourist Information Centre.Frome Leisure Centre Duty Man-ager Lucas Upham said: “Custom-

ers have already expressed plenty of interest in our voucher books so we felt this was a logical step to take for all parties.“We hope this will provide great-er convenience for residents wanting to use our facilities,

whilst also encouraging tourists to get the best out of their visit to Frome.”Customers are reminded that the Tourist Information Centre recently moved to the Library on Justice Lane, Frome.

Frome Leisure Centre to sell swims at TIC

www.avalonleisure.co.uk | Enquiries Hotline: 01458 444915

News

AVALON LEISURE has confirmed the development of a brand new state of the art exercise studio at Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre.The project, which will be funded by Western Community Leisure, will cost around £30,000 and is set to open in June 2011. The development will also include an upgrade to the Centre’s disabled facilities and provide additional school changing space.It is estimated that the new stu-dio will allow for between 20-30 new weekly classes and could provide opportunities for up to

10 new instructors.Strode Swimming Pool and Fit-ness Centre Manager Al Wood said: “Having an exercise studio at Strode will re-invigorate the lo-cal community, with a plethora of enjoyable and fun exercise choic-es under one roof.”Councillor Jim Barron, Leisure Portfolio Holder for Mendip Dis-trict Council, said: “I anticipate that the project will benefit all ages and abilities and encour-age healthy lifestyles throughout Street and the surrounding areas by helping everybody find some exercise that is right for them.”

New Exercise Studio at Strode Swimming Pool

STRODE SWIMMING POOL and Fitness Centre has again been ap-proved as a ‘Baby Friendly’ swim-ming pool by the Huggies Little Swimmers guide.Strode Swimming Pool is now among a select number of pools in the UK recognised for its par-ent-friendly policies, which in-clude dedicated baby swimming classes, baby-friendly changing room facilities, safe steps in and out of the swimming pool and ac-

ceptable pool temperatures.The directory was developed based on responses to a ques-tionnaire sent to public swim-ming pools throughout the UK.Al Wood (Centre Manager) said: “We have worked hard to encour-age parents to take their babies swimming because it is good for baby development. “I am delighted that all of our ef-forts have now been recognised in this way.”

Strode Swimming Pool officially ‘Baby Friendly’

www.avalonleisure.co.uk | Enquiries Hotline: 01458 444915

News & April offer

Snowed under!JUST A WEEK before Christmas 2010 the snow came down and the United Kingdom was sent into a state of chaos.Adverse weather conditions of this nature always provides a big test for companies up and down the country as they look to go about their daily business; this is certainly the case for Avalon’s leisure centres too.

So we’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all our customers who showed great patience and un-derstanding throughout the big freeze, and to our team members who ensured our Centres were able to stay open as often as pos-sible and for as long as possible.Check out the pictures of our Centres covered in snow; how do you think we look in white?!

Avalon Leisure manages Wells Leisure Centre, Frome Leisure Centre and Strode Swimming Pool on behalf of Western Community Leisure in partnership with Mendip District Council.

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