A leisure centre in Mansfield will become a community hub, offering a wide range of new and exciting opportunities that will benefit local residents.
Nottingham-based Switch Up will take over the day-to-day operation of Mansfield District Council’s River Maun Recreation Centre, on Barringer Road, from 1 April 2022.
Switch Up supports children and young people to reach their full potential through mentoring, education, counselling and physical activity. The hub, which aims to provide a safe and alternative space for people to learn and develop, will be closed for a couple of weeks in April so Switch Up can make some changes. This includes the creation of a boxing gym in the main sports hall and new signage.
Cllr Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Environment, said: “Switch Up is a brilliant initiative that will not only support young people to improve their physical and mental health but also provides education, training and employment opportunities.
"A range of new activities along with tried and tested techniques will help to steer young people away from crime and antisocial behaviour and help them to reach their full potential with increased skills and confidence. We look forward to seeing the benefits of this new hub in our local area.”
Marcellus Baz BEM, Switch Up founder and Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be establishing a permanent base in Mansfield after having supported the local community for several years. The community can expect us to connect with them so we can meet their needs. We look forward to working with them and with various partners such as Mansfield District Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, local schools and community groups, to make not just the Recreation Centre vibrant but also the wider community.”
River Maun is one of the council’s four leisure centres and is currently operated by Serco on behalf of Mansfield District Leisure Trust (MDLT). Switch Up are working with Serco and MDLT on the smooth handover of the centre as part of a long-term lease agreement of at least 15 years.
Switch Up will work with regular user groups and customers of the centre, whilst also developing a more vibrant programme to cater for the wider community. Existing customers will be contacted directly about bookings and memberships in the near future.
The transfer of the centre will take place under a Community Asset Transfer (CAT), which was considered the best option for the long-term future of the centre following a review of the council’s current leisure management service with specialist leisure consultants FMG Consulting Ltd. It will provide better value for money for the council and greater flexibility in responding to changing community need and demand.
Another benefit is that the community will be able to take a leading role in shaping future service provision and in the regeneration of the area. It will also provide opportunities to reduce health inequalities in the Ravensdale area by providing a more targeted approach to supporting people in leading active and healthy lives.
Mansfield’s three other leisure centres – Water Meadows, Oak Tree and Rebecca Adlington - will benefit from £2m of improvements as part of a new 10-year leisure management contract with Serco Leisure Operating Limited, delivered by partners More Leisure Community Trust Limited (MLCT).
The contract, which was recently awarded following a competitive tender process, will provide significant savings to the council and help reduce the council’s carbon footprint through environmental improvements.