Big win for Rivermead Leisure Centre
- Prestigious award for Rivermead following Council's £40m investment in leisure facilities in Reading
Rivermead Leisure Centre in Reading has won UK Active’s Regional Public Centre of the Year South of England award.
Opened by Reading Borough Council in 2023 as part of the Council’s £40 million investment in leisure facilities, Rivermead is operated by GLL, the UK’s largest leisure charitable social enterprise.
Regarded as the UK’s most prestigious awards for excellence and best practice across the sector, Rivermead won the South of England category against fierce competition from five other leisure centre finalists.
“This win is a huge endorsement of the great partnership we enjoy with Reading Borough Council,” said Craig Woodward, GLL Partnership Manager.
“We are delighted with this award and could not be prouder of the impact our programmes and team are having in tackling local health inequalities and getting more people more active more often.”
Earlier this year, Rivermead was one of only seven leisure centres in the UK to be to be awarded an outstanding rating by Quest, Sport England’s Continuous Improvement Tool for leisure.
Cllr Jacopo Lanzoni, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said:
“This award is a significant achievement for Rivermead Leisure Centre and a testament to what can be achieved through strong partnership working.
"It recognises the Council's investment in high-quality leisure facilities, GLL's commitment to excellence, and the dedication of the team who work every day to improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of Reading residents.”
Facilities at Rivermead Leisure Centre include an eight-lane competition swimming pool, a diving and teaching pool, a 120-station gym, cycle and exercise studios, a six-court sports hall, children’s soft play, party rooms, cafe and a full-size all-weather pitch.
For more information, visit https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/reading/rivermead-leisure-centre