Houldsworth Village leisure centre in Stockport is a finalist in the 2016 UKActive Flame Awards.
The national awards, which cover the entire health and leisure industry, are the pinnacle of recognition for the UK fitness industry with Houldsworth in Reddish up the for ‘Leisure Centre of the Year’ title.
The awards are shortlisted and decided based on independent member surveys, ‘mystery shopping’ to spot-check staff knowledge and performance, and a rigorous assessment by an independent panel of industry experts, ensuring they are a true reflection of member experiences.
This recognition for Houldsworth Village, which also reached the final in 2015, follows a period of development and investment by Life Leisure, which manages 13 sports and leisure facilities in and around Stockport.
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The centre is well known for its ‘Performance Zone’, which is home to the latest specialist weightlifting equipment, with a well-established partnership with British Weightlifting.
Competitions are regularly held at the site, which is also a training base for a number of professional weightlifters, many of whom are affiliated to Arnies Inclusive Powerlifting and Weightlifting Club as well as the newly formed Spartan Weightlifting Club, which caters for weightlifters at all levels.
The centre also offers a range of activities catering for all ages and abilities. The weekly programme includes everything from children’s activities through to ‘Walking Football’ which is popular with older members, and staff are trained to deliver for the specialist local GP referral scheme.
With two indoor five-a-side pitches, a basketball court, badminton facilities, large studio, dedicated spin studio and state-of-the-art fitness suite Houldsworth Village has become incredibly popular with membership increasing twofold over the last 18 months.
Michaela Pennington, operations assistant at Life Leisure, said: “The Flame Awards are the awards that every sports and leisure facility wants to win.
“To have reached the final for the second year running is a real testament to the work our staff have put into making the centre a welcoming place for all our members.”
The Flame Awards will be taking place in June.
