News

We love to keep busy! Here's just some of the news we're producing for Big Fish clients. Take a browse or simply search by company from the 'Categories' section

25th August 2015

Leisure centres see financial upswing but throughput falls

There has been a remarkable improvement in the financial efficiency of leisure centres across the UK, according to an annual report released by Sport England’s National Benchmarking Service (NBS) – but there is still much work to be done to increase usage and widen participation among the most at-need groups. Delivered by Leisure-net Solutions in partnership with the Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University, NBS enables local authorities to compare the performance of...

20th August 2015

Expansion for quality and health & safety specialist Right Directions

Quality and health and safety specialist Right Directions has welcomed four new members to its team. Tricia Lewis, 69, joins the company from 1Life Management Solutions where she was Head of Health, Safety and Quality, a national role with Corporate responsibility all sites. Lewis has been in the leisure industry for more than 30 years, enjoying a number of roles from Swimming Development Manager to Brand Operations Manager. Her new position as Right Directions’ Quality and...

15th August 2015

Local lifeguard recognised at one of the UK’s top 50 workers

Local lifeguard, Janet Appleyard has been honoured as one of Britain’s best older workers in People Management magazine’s top 50 over 50 workers. Janet, 61, came 7th in the prestigious awards, which included names like Prof. Stephen Hawkins, as well as a Lord, a Dame, doctors, a surgeon, a barrister and campaigners. The awards, which are voted for by the public, include an eclectic mix of professions, sectors, experiences and ages. “I am in with the elite,”...

10th August 2015

Customer support and integration teams expanded at Refer-all

Refer-all, specialist in software solutions for exercise referral has added two new personnel to its customer support and integration teams. Chief Support Officer, Hannah Bacon, is tasked with enhancing the fast and efficient service for which Refer-all is renowned. Alongside managing the support desk, Bacon provides insights from Refer-all’s clients to ensure the company’s strong focus on usability and simplicity in product development is continued. Her drive and commitment to exceed customer expectations means clients can...

9th August 2015

STITCH Accident Benchmarking Tool first State of the Nation Statistics

Most accidents are outside of operators’ control, according to statistics from industry accident benchmarking platform STITCH. The online leisure management analysis tool, which captures, collates and aggregates accident and 'near miss' data, has published its first annual findings. Overarching figures from the ‘STITCH of the Nation’statistics show that 84% of recorded incidents, such as running into a squash racquet, colliding with a wall during a 5 a side football game or slipping on wet surfaces on poolside,...

5th August 2015

LIW VIP Lounge sponsors announced

Leading insight company Leisure-net Solutions has announced it will be sponsoring the VIP Lounge at this year’s LIW alongside Quality and health and safety specialist Right Directions, award-winning industry education provider Lifetime Training and leading leisure marketing company Bigwave media. The quartet will provide a true one-stop shop for show visitors to find out more about learning and development, quality and safety standards, customer insight and marketing and communications. Visitors to the lounge will be able to...

1st August 2015

Refer-all software wins City of London contract

Refer-all has won a contract to support the Sports & Community Development Team at Golden Lane Sport & Fitness with a software solution to streamline its Exercise Referral programme. Based in the Square Mile, the centre is run by Fusion Lifestyle on behalf of the City of London Corporation. The centre’s Sports Development Officer explained, Leonie Wade explained: “We began our Exercise on Referral programme in January 2013 using a simple Excel spreadsheet. Our targets, monitoring...

30th July 2015

Matrix focuses on education with Lifetime link-up

Lifetime Training is partnering with Matrix Fitness to deliver its new Education Programme. The aim of the partnership is to provide Matrix customers with quality training and education so their fitness teams can provide excellent member-focused service and help to improve retention. Driven by Matrix’s mission to keep training and education simple but effective, Lifetime will provide a suite of REPs accredited courses. These will enable clubs and centres using Matrix equipment to ensure their team...

25th July 2015

Leisure-net and LIW launch Industry Confidence Survey

Industry insight specialist Leisure-net Solutions has joined forces with Leisure Industry Week (LIW) to launch a new Industry Confidence Survey. The 2015 survey, which has been sent out to all operators on the LIW database in the lead up to this year’s show on 22/23 September, is first survey of its kind in three years. The questionnaire will gauge how confident operators are about the overall future of the health and fitness industry, their own business...

20th July 2015

Commercial Training Operations Manager appointed

Lifetime Training has appointed Mark Newman as its new Operations Manager. As Operations Manager, Newman will lead Lifetime’s ever-expanding commercial training team, overseeing its full-time and freelance tutors who are located around the UK. The role includes responsibility for developing and driving the delivery of the quality, innovative qualifications for which Lifetime is renowned, as well as overseeing course scheduling, venue management and corporate bookings, and maintaining strong relationships with awarding bodies, external verifiers and internal...