TRUST IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Leisure trust, Mytime Active, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. SportsNation speaks to CEO, Jason Stanton and two of his team members – Debra Weekes and Diane Friday – who have been with the trust since its inception

Mytime Active, a leisure trust which operates facilities on behalf of local authorities, was founded as Bromley Mytime back in 2004. Historically, leisure services sat within Bromley Council alongside libraries, parks and open spaces, but the management of the local authority’s leisure centres had previously been outsourced to private companies, including Serco and DC Leisure.

On 1 February 2004, Bromley Council established Bromley Mytime as a social enterprise, amalgamating all the leisure services under one “roof”. The services included a range of facilities, from The Spa at Beckenham, The Pavilion and Walnuts and West Wickham leisure centres to the dual-use sites the council were still managing. There were also two golf courses, civic halls, sports and arts development projects, play facilities and childcare services – so quite a mix.

How did those first years as a standalone social enterprise influence what Mytime Active offers today?

Debra Weekes, Mytime Active’s Partnership Manager: “We realised early on that the programmes needed development to meet the needs of the local community. For example, we inherited a very small programme of activities for the over 60s from DC Leisure. In 2007 it only offered three or four activities at a handful of sites. As a result, we only had 79 members over the age of 60, despite Bromley having an ageing population.

“In 2008 we started a Sport England-funded Active Ageing programme and recruited Ann Wilbourn as Primetime Manager. Ann researched what activities older people enjoy and created our buddies scheme (where older people volunteer to support our Primetime members). Primetime now offers more than 100 activities a week to more than 2,500 members.

We look at the personal wellbeing factor of residents and then aspire to make it significantly higher for those using our services

“At Bromley Council I managed our health programmes, Fresh Start and HeartSmart for people with medical conditions, which have thrived within Mytime Active. Since our inception we’ve had amazing exercise specialists working in our health team.

“The fact the team has worked together for a long time and programmes are well established, gives a consistency of approach. Our team is trusted in their field and have a place at the table where fitness and sport often aren’t included; highlighted by our relationship with the newly developed Local Care Partnership, One Bromley. We will be supporting One Bromley with the management of a Health Hub in The Glades shopping centre, where we will be offering free Vital 5 lifestyle advice.”

What makes Mytime Active stand out among other leisure providers?

Jason Stanton: “The biggest difference is that we judge our success by improving the wellbeing of our members and compare it to residents in our communities. We are measuring the wellbeing impact of our services via the Office of National Statistics.

“We look at the personal wellbeing factor of residents and then aspire to make it significantly higher for those using our services. We began this approach in April 2022 as an integral element of our new strategy.

“Our initial results show that our members have up to a 13% higher wellbeing factor than residents. I’m exceptionally proud of our initial impact. We want to push this further by growing the reach of our on-site and particularly our community-driven programmes, which are really important to us.

“As physical activity and leisure faces increased financial challenges, many operators want to focus on building big gyms, because that’s what makes commercial sense. More marginal programmes are often dropped because they’re not profitable, but I’m keen to dial them up, otherwise you don’t serve the whole community.

“Some of our health inequality programmes are profitable, some break even, some lose money, but we’re willing to invest in them anyway. If we cut every programme that doesn’t give a return, we would be a very different organisation.

“We don’t want transactional relationships. We want our customers to get more from us than just using the gym. A leisure centre should be a community hub. I don’t care whether people workout, play dominoes or buy a coffee – at one of our golf clubs we even have a knit and natter group!”

Has Mytime Active always been health-focused?

Diane Friday, Active Lifestyles Programme Manager: “Yes, when we became Bromley Mytime in 2004 we were initially three separate divisions; health, leisure and golf, but these have now been integrated to streamline both staff and services.

“Our health contracts have changed a lot over the years though. Currently they are funded for 12 sessions and act as a stepping stone. Our goal is to integrate participants into regular services, so they have the confidence to come to the gym by themselves, knowing what’s going to help with their condition and what not to do. “Our job is to educate them on the benefits of physical activity and lifestyle changes so they can then self-manage, although we also offer long-term health programmes for people that need on-going support.

“People come because our staff have knowledge and empathy; they’re interested in their lives and helping them to get better. That’s key, I think. I still cover sessions occasionally; it’s so rewarding to see people in the gym who nervously came on our Fresh Start programme 15 years ago and are still members today!”

Tell us about the strategy you’ve launched to support community engagement:

Jason: “We developed our Theory of Change to drive the improved wellbeing of our members. It’s all linked around four key pathways; Eat Well, Be Together, Be Positive and Be Active.

“For example, if 10-year-old Johnny attends swimming lessons, he’s on our be active pathway. When he comes out hungry, we want to offer him a healthy food option so he can eat well.

Rather than people just saying it makes them feel better, we will measure against their goals, so we can show what percentage actually achieve those goals

“Be Positive, meanwhile, is how we reward and acknowledge his swimming achievements and Be Together is the friends he makes during his lessons and the opportunities we provide to reinforce those friendships – such as a free swim during the holidays so he can go with his friends.”

What initiative are you most proud of?

Jason: “I joined Mytime Active eight years ago, looking after the golf estate. During my interview the CEO said ‘I’m not interested in making money out of golf, because I know we can do that. I’d like to know whether using our estate to play golf, participate in another activity or just for a social event improves a person’s wellbeing.’ So I decided to prove that we could do both.

“We partnered with England Golf and ukactive, and launched Golf on Referral, the first ever research backed, medically-proven GP referral pathway for golf, which won England Golf’s 2019 Innovation Award.

“We’re now trying to evaluate all our programmes for improved wellbeing, so they are all evidential. Rather than people just saying it makes them feel better, we will measure against their goals so we can show what percentage actually achieve those goals.”

You’re one of many long-serving employees – how has Mytime Active supported your career journey?

Diane: “My very first role in leisure was a Level 2 gym instructor at the Spa at Beckenham. When I saw the health programmes we were running I immediately wanted to work with people with medical conditions, teaching them how exercise could help them live more independently for longer. The things many of us take for granted some people can’t do or don’t want to try, because they’re in pain or worried it could make their condition worse.

“I helped out on the Fresh Start GP referral programme and gained my Level 3 GP referral course before moving into the health team, where I completed cardiac rehab training for the Heart Smart initiative. Mytime Active provides lots of free opportunities to learn, I can now deliver NHS Health Checks and our ESCAPE-Pain programme, and so I’ve grown with the company, eventually becoming programme coordinator and then eight years ago programme manager.

We have a sport and leisure programme specifically for adults, young people and children with a learning disability called MyClub

What are you most proud of during your 20-year tenure?

Diane: “How we’ve adapted. Health contracting and commissioning has changed hugely, but the team has always managed to deliver a really good service, despite challenges. I’m also proud of how we’ve grown. For example, creating specific classes for people that have had a stroke or have neurological conditions, Tai Chi and movement classes for those with reduced mobility; each tailor-made for their condition.

“We have a sport and leisure programme specifically for adults, young people and children with a learning disability called MyClub too, which encourages communication, interaction and fun. And the health hub in the shopping centre, where our lifestyle advisors will be on hand to offer free advice on things such as blood pressure and height and weight measurements. Residents will also be able to access free one-to-one behaviour change support around alcohol and smoking cessation.”

What have been the highlights during your time at Mytime Active?

Debra: “During the last 14 years we’ve secured £3.45 million of grant funding to support the development of programmes and events. Since 2004 we’ve also managed Team Bromley entries into the London Youth Games, working with schools and sports clubs to put the teams together across many different sports.

“But working with amazing people over the years, many of whom are still around, has been a real highlight for me; experts in their field, great managers and people who have supported my development.

“My role as Partnerships Manager offers me huge variety. I’ve worked on so many impactful projects, with lots of great partners; no two years are ever the same. These factors, and knowing the work we do makes a positive difference, is why I’m still around!”