Stokewood, Pelhams and Littledown leisure centres in Bournemouth have been applauded for their dedication to inspire people and communities to stay active.
Stokewood, Pelhams and Littledown are owned by BCP Council and operated by BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise.
Each centre has been awarded with ‘Very Good’ status following an assessment by Sport England’s trusted trade body, Right Directions. The teams were commended for their commitment to customer service, presentation, and the diverse range of activities and facilities that they offer.
The assessment, known as Quest, benchmarks cleanliness, how the centre is managed and its team’s performance against other operators in the sport and leisure industry. Assessors reward centres for their dedication to making fitness a clean, fun, and safe pastime. The rigorous process includes a mystery shopper visit, interviews and online research to get an authentic customer experience.
The Quest assessor commented that Stokewood’s class timetable was “impressive” and that the centre “offered something for all intensities.” Stokewood’s team was also recognised for their knowledge and customer service, sharing that the team seemed to feel “pride in giving me as much information as they could to assist with my queries.”
A recent project to transform Stokewood’s poolside changing facilities was completed earlier this year, with BH Live investing hundreds of thousands of pounds to install new shower facilities, toilets, vanity units, and lockers following customer feedback. The assessor remarked how well upcoming refurbishments or centre changes were communicated, sharing that it was “positive” to see investment being made into the centre.
Following a major half-a-million-pound gym refurbishment last year, Pelhams also received extremely positive feedback for the versatility of its equipment, “with something certainly on offer for all fitness goals”. The team received positive reports for their emergency response times, with the centre regularly participating in drills and simulated emergencies throughout the year for staff training and development. Additionally, Pelhams’ Terrace Café was applauded for its friendly team, great customer service, and high standards. The café was awarded 5-star Food Hygiene rating earlier this year.
All centres were celebrated for their commitment to inspiring more people across the region to stay active through BH Live’s health and wellbeing programme and diverse range of classes. In Littledown’s assessment report, the assessor noted that ‘it was refreshing to find such a diverse range of specialist health programmes taking place at the facility’ and that there was an offering ‘for all sectors of the community’.
As a registered charity, getting more people active is one of BH Live’s main aims. On behalf of BH Live, Rob Cunningham, Director of Leisure and Business Development shared:
“We have the privilege of operating some of the best leisure centres and sports across the region in partnership with BCP Council. We are helping to improve thousands of lives every single day and I am incredibly proud of the teams at Stokewood, Pelhams, and Littledown for their remarkable achievements.
“Thanks to the teams’ hard work, we’re making sure these community leisure centres continue to be fantastic places to work, play, learn and visit for better health and wellbeing.”
Sarah Lobo, Head of External Accreditations at Right Directions shared:
“It’s wonderful to see that Stokewood, Pyramids and Littledown have earned a “Very Good” rating in their Sport England Quest Assessments. The Quest process has really helped highlight the value of the teams’ work and how they stack up against national standards. The facilities are clearly committed to encouraging more visitors across the city to stay active.”
Visit bhliveactive.org.uk for more information.