1610 Leisure Trust to join forces with Freedom Leisure

Leisure trust 1610 will join forces with Freedom Leisure, a genuine charitable not-for-profit leisure trust just like 1610 on 1st August 2024.

Over the last 12 months 1610 has undergone a full independent review of its charitable functions. As part of this review options were explored on how 1610 could evolve and continue to support its communities. Following the review, 1610 made the decision to investigate options of working collaboratively or in partnership with other similar organisations.

Following this process, a preferred partner was selected in Freedom Leisure. The partnership will see 1610 becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Freedom Leisure giving 1610 far greater access to support and resources so that it can better support its local communities.

This new partnership will see 1610 continue to trade in its own right, it will very much be business as usual across the 4 leisure centres currently operated by 1610 including:

• Chard Fitness and Wellbeing
• Dorchester Sports Centre
• Robert Blake Leisure
• Trinity Sports and Leisure

The staff at sites and across 1610 will remain the same as will the many exciting and popular programmes and activities.

The Chief Executive of 1610, Ricky Hayes said “We are really excited to join forces with Freedom Leisure, who share many of our values and our ethos. My colleagues at 1610 have worked incredibly hard over the last 12 months to improve the service 1610 provide and drive community output but we are also well aware that we cannot stand still and need to evolve so that we can continue to deliver the best possible service to our communities. With many shared values and certainly a shared vision we really believe that by working with Freedom Leisure we can achieve more.”

“Like 1610, Freedom Leisure is a genuine charitable not-for-profit leisure trust with all surpluses reinvested into the service it provides. It was really important to 1610 that we found a trust with this same approach. Likewise, we wanted to find a trust that understands the need for a localised approach to leisure activities and Freedom Leisure really demonstrates this approach.”

Freedom Leisure’s only aim is to ‘improve lives through leisure’ with all other objectives aimed at this overarching goal. Very similar to the aim that 1610 has in transforming lives. Likewise, one of Freedom Leisure’s key objectives is to use leisure to improve communities’ health both physically and mentally, much akin to 1610’s own strap line Active Body Active Mind.”

Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure’s CEO said; “We are delighted to be entering this partnership with 1610 and we are looking forward to sharing our experiences and best practices and providing 1610 with improved economies of scale so they can continue to deliver the high-quality products and services in the West Country to the benefit of the local community.

Ivan continued; “It was important for us to align with an organisation that shares our mission of “improving lives through leisure” and we are looking forward to working in partnership in a collaborative way with a forward thinking and progressive genuine not-for-profit leisure trust like ourselves”.

Following 1610 becoming a subsidiary of Freedom Leisure on 1st August the centres run under 1610 will continue to run as previously and customers should not experience any changes or disruptions.

Notes for Editors:

1610 is a non-profit making leisure trust which manages 4 leisure facilities across Somerset and Dorset. 1610 aims to help people live fuller, richer lives through having an active body and active mind.

About Freedom Leisure

Freedom Leisure is one of the leading charitable not-for-profit leisure trusts in the UK, managing over 120 leisure and cultural facilities on behalf of partners across England and Wales.  We are proud to be delivering high quality, value for money locally-focused leisure services that are sustainable and accessible to all.  As a not-for-profit organisation we are committed to the ongoing development of local community facilities and all surpluses are reinvested to support the objectives we share with our partners.

Improving lives through leisure

• Enabling communities to be more active more often, making the most of their leisure time
• Being a fun and rewarding place for our colleagues to work
• Supporting our partners with the provision of great community facilities

For more information about 1610 or if you require further information associated with the press release contact Dan Bryant dbryant@1610.org.uk or call 01823 21900.