Halo Leisure celebrates 10 years in Bridgend

Halo Leisure, the company that oversees leisure facilities across Bridgend county borough, has celebrated its 10th anniversary this month, with a meeting of councillors and staff at Bridgend Life Centre.

The team that works alongside Bridgend council came together to mark the milestone anniversary, looking at what they had achieved across the borough in the last decade as well as what they hope to achieve with the service in the future.

Since the partnership was formed in 2012, bosses say there has been a 26.4% increase in participation at local centres, with around 2.35 million customer visiting their facilities each year. There had also been a re-investement of around £7m in initiatives that included refurbishments at sites in Bridgend, Garw Valley, Ogmore Valley, Pencoed, Pyle, Maesteg and Ynysawdre.

Scott Rolfe, CEO of Halo Leisure, said it was a very proud day for himself and other staff members in attendance who had all worked incredibly hard over the 10 years. He said "This partnership has resulted in a myriad of initiatives, many award winning. Think free swimming lessons for children and adults, workplace wellbeing packages for local businesses, training opportunities for local athletes ambitious to compete in international competitions.

"We are especially proud of the work of our Active Communities Team which has enhanced mental health and disability support via groundbreaking initiatives such as the Dementia Friendly physical activity and Autism Friendly swimming lesson programmes. I would like to thank everyone who has been through the doors of all our leisure centres in Bridgend county, be it to the gym, pool, exercise studio, toning suite, racket court, sports hall, climbing wall, outdoor pitches, indoor soft play, cafe, or library, whether they be staff or customers, for their commitment to a healthy lifestyle. We’ve seen so many success stories over the years, and I’d like to thank you all for being a part of it. We can’t wait to see what the next 10 years and beyond brings."

Council leader Huw David added: "Bridgend County Borough Council’s long-lasting partnership with Halo is making a real difference to both the physical and mental wellbeing of residents of all ages. The council is pleased to work with a charity and leisure trust that is committed to supporting projects and activities right across the community.

"Partnerships such as this play a vital part in ensuring that residents can access the best services possible. The statistics show that the partnership has a wide reach and it’s great to see that thousands of children have gained key skills such as learning how to swim as part of the agreement." You can read more of our stories from Bridgend here or subscribe to our weekly newsletter from across the borough here.