Lee Valley Regional Park Authority takes health and safety to a different level

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, which is responsible for a 10,000 acre park that is home to a variety of award-winning green spaces and world-class sports venues, is changing its health and safety management, with a new external partner to lead, develop and enhance its standards.

Four team members from health, safety and quality management expert, Right Directions, will work across the Authority on a daily basis, guiding and advising the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority management team and staff through mentoring, monitoring, auditing and assessing.

Dan Buck, Corporate Director at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority says: “The Authority is looking for a different approach, with not just an auditing function, but also a mentoring approach, supporting site, section management and staff to attain the best possible health and safety standards – meeting both our current and future requirements.”

Stretching 26 miles along the River Lee from Ware in Hertfordshire to East India Dock Basin on the Thames, the ’green lung’ for London offers a range of activities from cycling and white water sports to horse riding, hockey and camping, alongside nature reserves, green spaces and heritage sites.

As part of the contract the Right Directions team will assist Lee Valley Regional Park Authority in monitoring its compliance by auditing health and safety across the park’s Leisure Service Contract, which includes well-known sporting venues Lee Valley White Water Centre, Lee Valley VeloPark, Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Lee Valley Riding Centre, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre and Lee Valley Ice Centre, which is due to open in 2023. They will also work closely with the Authority’s events team to support any events, and assist the managers and their teams with all aspects of health and safety for non-leisure services, including three campsites, a golf course, two marinas and a farm, as well as the parklands and open spaces.

Andy Waters, Operations Manager at Right Directions, who is leading on the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority contract, says: “Nothing beats the physical presence and support from an expert who can assist site managers and staff in reviewing processes, looking at any hazards with a fresh set of eyes and acting as a sounding board for any concerns they may have.”

Prior to this new contract with Right Directions, the park’s health and safety support function has been well provided by an external provider the last 16 years.

Buck explains: “Due to the breadth of sites and services within our remit, it’s always been considered essential for our health and safety service provider to have sufficient diversity in its understanding of our requirements; one day the contractor can be auditing the world’s best velodrome, the next a dairy farm and then an audit of the parklands. Right Directions has a strong and varied team, with the industry knowledge and commitment to excellence the Authority requires.”

Gill Twell, Head of Development at Right Directions, who led on the tender bid, says: “Safety can be a dry subject and Andy and the delivery team are looking forward to working with the Authority teams to enhance and create a positive safety culture with a shared purpose in a mutually beneficial and supportive environment.”

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Editor’s notes:
Right Directions Management provides health and safety and quality management support to the leisure industry, specialising in local authority and trust-managed sites, as well as smaller independent operators. Right Directions delivers Quest on behalf of Sport England, as well as ukactive’s Code of Practice and accreditation for the Swim England’s Learn to Swim Pathway. The Right Directions’ team has more than 200 years experience within its field. www.rightdirections.co.uk

For further information contact:
Abigail Harris at Big Fish Public Relations
Tel: 07738331019
Email: abigail@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk