Everyone Active appointed to manage Woking’s leisure facilities
Woking Borough Council has agreed to appoint Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management) to operate and manage four of the borough’s key leisure facilities, following a competitive procurement process.
Subject to contract, the appointment covers Woking Leisure Centre, Pool in the Park, Woking Sportsbox and Eastwood Leisure Centre, and will see Everyone Active take responsibility for delivering a wide-ranging programme of physical activity and wellbeing services for residents.
The new partnership will ensure leisure services are inclusive, high-quality and financially sustainable, with a strong focus on community engagement and innovation.
To enhance service quality and user experience, award-winning operator Everyone Active will invest significantly in upgrading and enhancing existing leisure and hospitality facilities, including:
- a full refurbishment of the fitness suite at Woking Leisure Centre, improvements to studio spaces and changing areas, and the creation of a dedicated Reformer Pilates studio
- advanced safety technology and visual enhancements at Pool in the Park
- installation of sensory lighting at Eastwood Leisure Centre to support more inclusive programming
- equipment upgrades at Woking Sportsbox.
Cllr Ellen Nicholson, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure, said: “We are delighted to have awarded our leisure contract to Everyone Active, whose proposal reflects our ambition to deliver self-funding leisure services that provides real value for our residents.
“Our new partnership will help residents live healthier, more active lives, whilst optimising our leisure assets through improved facilities, employment opportunities and wider social impact.
“I’d also like to thank outgoing provider, Freedom Leisure, for their service and dedication to our community over the past 14 years.
“Everyone Active’s community-focused approach and commitment to innovation made them the ideal partner for this next chapter in our leisure provision.”
Ian Cook, Everyone Active’s Regional Contract Manager, added: “We are thrilled to have been selected to manage and operate Woking’s leisure centres and are excited to begin working closely with the council and local communities.
“We want to make physical activity accessible, inclusive and engaging for everyone, and are proud to bring innovative programming, new technology and a strong social value commitment to this partnership.
“Together, we will ensure Woking’s leisure services thrive and continue to enrich lives for years to come.”
The new appointment is expected to deliver an estimated £1.1 million in cost savings, achieved through a combination of increased income, reduced operational costs and efficiencies in service delivery.
Subject to contract, the new appointment will commence on 1 December 2025 for an initial period of 10 years, with an option to extend for a further five years, offering long-term stability and continuity for the borough's leisure provision.