£50,000 Funding Boost To Support Leisure Centres

Swale Community Leisure (SCL) has received a funding boost from Swale Borough Council to help it continue to deliver essential health and fitness services for residents.

SCL is the charitable trust that operates Swallows Leisure Centre in Sittingbourne and Sheppey Leisure Complex in Sheerness on behalf of the council and the £50,000 of funding from the council is in addition to the council’s significant investment of up to £800,000 to pay for repairs to the roof at Swallows, which was damaged in Storm Ciara earlier in the year.

SCL not only operates the leisure centres in order to provide an affordable and high quality leisure service to local people, it delivers activities both inside and outside the centres that support unemployed young people, disabled groups and vulnerable individuals with a wide range of health needs. 

SCL say: "the continuing partnership with SBC and the financial support given, will ensure that these services can continue to be delivered and make a positive impact on the lives of recipients".

Dave Harcourt, Chief Executive Officer at SCL, told SFM News: “The first half of 2020 has presented us with incredible difficulties, mainly in the shape of Storm Ciara which destroyed Swallows roof and followed by the COV-19 lockdown. Nevertheless, we have worked through this period with our partners at Swale Borough Council to ensure that time has not been wasted in securing a long term solution for the roof and preparing ourselves for reopening when it was allowed. Without their support, both financially and professionally, it’s difficult to imagine how we might have got through this time. Now we can continue to recover and work towards rebuilding the services that we know the people of Swale will truly benefit from.”

Cllr Angela Harrison, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “It’s been a tough year for SCL, so I’m glad we can offer them this financial support to continue providing essential services for local people. The pandemic has had a huge impact on their operations, but also shows why we need to make sure people are able to keep themselves fit and healthy. We don’t know yet if there will be a second wave of the virus, but we do know that people who are healthy and active are better placed to fight it. Even if we don’t see cases rise again, more people are committed to keeping themselves fit and healthy, and this money will help make sure they can.”

Swale Community Leisure (SCL) is a not for profit Registered Society with Charitable Status.