The South Glos Post

Local sport and leisure centre operator South Gloucestershire Leisure Trust has rebranded itself  Circadian Trust as part of a strategy aimed at helping the organisation grow over the coming years.

The new brand was officially launched at a breakfast briefing event on Friday 8th July and comes five years after the organisation was appointed by South Gloucestershire Council to operate and manage the local authority’s leisure centres.

It marks a significant milestone in the development of the £8.9 million turnover Trust, which employs around 1,000 people in both full and part time roles. The Trust has committed to a programme of continuous development that has seen them expand their operations and take on three more sports centres in South Gloucestershire in the past 12 months.

Investment in the centres has also been significant, with more than £6 million spent on upgrading and improving the services and facilities that the Trust manages since its inception in 2005. On average, there are 1.9 million annual visits by people using the services.

The Trust says it will continue to work in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council and retain its social enterprise status, enabling it to pass on subsidised rates for activities such as public and schools swimming, concessionary groups and sports clubs.

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Work has started on a £500K scheme to transform sports facilities at Marlwood School in Alveston, near Thornbury.

A ‘next generation’ all-weather pitch and a natural football pitch will be provided in an effort to encourage sport and healthier lifestyles.

The full-sized football pitches, which can also be used for other sports, will be used mainly by students at the secondary school, but will also be made available for community use outside school hours.

The aim is to complete the new all-weather pitch ready for full use by the school by the end of October.

Once landscaped, the natural pitch will need to be seeded ready for use next year.

The scheme is being funded out of the council’s own resources, following a decision by the Council’s ruling Conservative administration in 2008 to top-up the schools money it receives annually from the government.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

The new changing rooms on the Emersons Green side of Pomphrey Hill playing fields were officially opened on Saturday 27 March.

The Council has invested £400,000 in the new facility which is the latest stage in a comprehensive programme of new sports facilities for the community at Pomphrey Hill.

Housing four changing rooms, a refreshment area, a room for match officials and facilities for the disabled, local football teams are already making good use of the new facilities.

As well as the new changing rooms, work is due to start on a brand new, state of the art two-storey pavilion featuring two community rooms and a kitchen so that other community groups can also benefit from using the facilities. The turfcutting ceremony for the pavilion will be held on 6 April. The £2 million pavilion represents an investment of £1.5 million from the council.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Nominations are being invited for the annual Active South Gloucestershire sports awards which recognise sporting achievement in the district.

Organised by South Gloucestershire Council, the awards celebrate the hard work and dedication of athletes and coaches over the past 12 months.

There are a range of categories that people can nominate for, from sportsman and sportswoman of the year, to sports coach award.

Councillor Heather Goddard, executive member for communities, said: “There are a huge number of sports clubs and organisations in South Gloucestershire, which produce excellent sportsmen and sportswomen, ably supported by dedicated coaches.

“These awards recognise and pay tribute to these athletes, as well as the people who contribute to their sporting success.

“Participating in sport, whether you do it for fun or competitively, is a great way to keep fit and healthy, meet friends, and be part of a club which are an important part of communities.”

Nominations are invited in the following categories:

• Sportsman of the year
• Sportswoman of the year
• Young disability sportsperson of the year
• Young sportsman of the year
• Sports coach award
• School sport award
• The sports link award
• School sport award individual
• Team award (junior and adult)
• Active partnership personal achievement award
• Airbus community sports award

All nominees for the awards, which are sponsored by Airbus and the Active Partnership (a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, South Gloucestershire Leisure Trust and NHS South Gloucestershire to increase participation in physical activity) must live within South Gloucestershire or be involved with a South Gloucestershire club or school.

For more details and a nomination form visit www.southglos.gov.uk/sport.

Source: South Gloucestershire Council