Winners of the inaugural ukactive Awards were revealed at a gala dinner in Manchester last night (21 June), as part of the three-day Active Uprising event.
Life Leisure Stockport Sports Village was handed the prestigious National Leisure Centre/Health Club of the Year award, while six regional winners were also announced.
In all, there were 19 winners as the first ever ukactive Awards – an evolution of the former Flame Awards – introduced a wider array of categories to "better celebrate the range of leaders getting more people active".
New award categories included Campaign of the Year, won by Ordnance Survey, and the Healthy Community Award, won by MAN v FAT Football.
“Given the growing contribution of physical activity in all aspects of society, it seemed only fitting that we expanded the ukactive Awards to recognise the full breadth of our movement to create an active nation," said Steven Ward, ukactive CEO.
The awards night attracted more than 800 people and was co-hosted by ukactive chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and physical activity expert Greg Whyte.
"The competition was particularly fierce this year – the first ukactive Awards in their new format," Grey-Thompson said.
“It was incredible to listen to the stories from our finalists – their passion for physical activity is clearly evident. I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all those doing more to get more people active – you really are leading this movement.”
Each of the award finalists underwent an independent assessment process, designed to select the best in each category from hundreds of entrants. Several stages of evaluation took place, including customer insight surveys, mystery calls, visits and a ‘Judges’ House’ assessment day at WeWork London.
THE FULL LIST OF UKACTIVE AWARDS WINNERS:Club/Centre of the Year: Life Leisure Stockport Sports Village
Regional Club/Centres of the YearLondon: GLL Kensington Leisure Centre
North: Life Leisure Stockport Sports Village
Midlands: Oak Tree Leisure Centre, Mansfield – Serco Leisure
South: LED Leisure Management
Wales and Northern Ireland: Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex – Serco Leisure
Scotland: Sport Aberdeen
Supplier of the Year: Future Fit Training
New Concept, Build and Design of the Year: Salt Ayre Leisure Centre – Alliance Leisure
Workplace Wellbeing of the Year: Wellworking Ltd
ukactive Kids Award: Northampton Leisure Trust
Healthy Communities Award: Man v FAT Football
Inclusion and Disability Award: Sport for Confidence and Basildon Sporting Village – Everyone Active
Research Impact Award: MyCustomerLens
Physical Activity Champion: Louisa Chatwin
Outstanding Leader of the Year: Oliver Stacey
Unsung Hero Award: Ben Wimbush
Organisation of the Year Award: Active Tameside
Personality of the Year: Colin Jackson
