Customers have been flocking back to West Lothian leisure centres after the pandemic.
Membership at West Lothian Leisure facilities has returned to 87 per cent of pre-Covid levels, exceeding expectation and driving recovery, according to the trust’s Annual Report for 2021/22.
Ben Lamb, who took over as chief executive in late 2022, welcomed the report, and underlined the successes that the team has achieved, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact this had on the organisation, and indeed, on all leisure operators across the UK.
He said: “Across the UK, sports and leisure providers have struggled to continue trading, but with the support of our customers, staff, and partners, we have been able to weather the storm.
“The experience of the pandemic taught us many things, including that our staff and customers are our greatest assets.
“While we have further challenges ahead with sharply rising costs, and access to outside funding becoming more difficult, they will continue to be vital to our ongoing success.”
Other achievements within the year include the development of specialist health and wellbeing services almost doubling the levels of funding from the West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, with almost 1,550 health and wellbeing referrals supported.
WWL is the only Scottish trust to receive a Gold Medal Award at the 2021 Member Experience Awards, based on customer feedback, with Broxburn Swimming Pool awarded ‘Best Swimming Pool Member Experience in the UK’
There have been over 1.6m visits to WLL venues and almost 300,000 learn to swim attendances at pools across the region, with children in the programme growing from 4,400 to 5,800.
In February 2022, West Lothian Leisure announced a ground-breaking collaboration with West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership with the aim of using physical activity to compliment, or to be used as an alternative to, more traditional treatments. Patients are referred by their GP, link worker or other health professionals.
The innovative programme is targeted primarily at patients who have underlying conditions such as heart disease, are an unhealthy weight, or are coping with mental health issues. The intention is to further develop the programme to support those recovering from long-covid.
Ben Lamb continued “Membership levels, understandably, dropped significantly in our previous full financial year, from 2020 to 2021.
“On behalf of the Trust, I would like to note our appreciation to both West Lothian Council and Government for the support we received, without which we would not have been able to continue trading. Furthermore, without the support of our board, staff, members, and other customers, we would have struggled to regain pace.
“To use a common sporting metaphor, the ball is firmly back in our court, and we are in the process of planning what the future looks like. The landscape is undeniably challenging but given what we have faced across the last few years, I am confident we have the team, talent, and determination to succeed.
“Our overarching aim, to contribute to a West Lothian where everyone can live a healthier, happier, longer life, is at the heart of everything we do, and we will continue to deliver services that live up to the spirit of that vision.”
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