HEALTH & FITNESS


Mel Spooner goes solo with new business launch


Former FitPro head of commercial opera- tions Mel Spooner has embarked on a new venture – launching fitness-focused proj- ect management firm Te Project Network. Having spent 12-years in the commer-


cial fitness market working for the likes of Technogym, PTA Global and TRX, Spooner decided the time was right to form a new private company. Te firm is a portfolio of six brands,


providing bespoke project management for the global fitness industry. Te net- work specialises in handling projects including business and strategic develop- ment, training and education and more. Details: http://lei.sr?a=T9A6s


Castle View buys weight loss firm


The owner of Sports Leisure Management (SLM) has acquired wellness intervention provider Weight Management Centre as it bids to cement its position as a lead- ing public health delivery partner. Family-owned business Castle


View – which bought SLM in 2000 – took control of Weight Management Centre earlier this month for an undisclosed fee. SLM operates 102 leisure venues under the trading name Everyone Active and last year made moves towards wellness inter- vention with the launch of its public health division Everyone Health. Established in February 2014, Everyone Health


Everyone Active managing director David Bibby


has won a string of contracts to provide weight management services on behalf of local authori- ties, and the acquisition of Weight Management Centre will no doubt strengthen the organisa- tion’s overall public health offering. According to its website, Weight Management Centre aims to provide a one-stop shop for all weight man- agement and obesity requirements, as well as providing related training and qualifications which are accredited by SkillsActive. Te physical activity sector has long been pushing to become a frontline service in the


John Oxley has a wealth of leisure experience


Oxley to swap Active Nation for Places for People Leisure


Active Nation MD John Oxley is to join rival operator Places for People Leisure (PPL) as operations director and will also sit on its main Board of Directors. Oxley has spent seven years at the Active


Nation helm and was previously operations director at Everyone Active, owned by SLM. His is the latest high-profile appointment at PPL, following the announcement of Sandra Dodd as the new CEO. “Tere is an immense amount of talent


in the team at Places for People Leisure. It is a key time to be joining such a significant player in the leisure industry and I am excited for what the future holds in my operations role,” said Oxley, who takes up his new post on 20 April. “Making a real difference to the health


of the nation and encouraging more people to become more active drives my commit- ment to the sector, and my new employer.” PPL currently manages more than


115 facilities across England and part- ners with 36 local authorities, with plans for further growth during 2015. Details: http://lei.sr?a=B9Y6E


6 Cricket star Olonga to speak at active-net


Former Zimbabwean test cricketer Henry Olonga will be the aſter-dinner speaker for this year’s active-net event. Olonga made his international


cricketing debut in 1995, becom- ing the youngest player to represent Zimbabwe and the first black crick- eter to play for the country. Active-net, now in its second year,


will take place from 29-30 April at Burleigh Court and Holywell Park, Loughborough. As well as one-to- one buyer and supplier meetings, the physical activity sector event will fea- ture a strong educational element and networking programme. It is aimed at all operators and suppliers with a focus on the public sector, whether it be Trusts, Local Authorities or Universities/Colleges. This year’s educational workshops will


focus on the latest research from organisa- tions including Les Mills International, Te Leisure Database Company and Leisure-net Solutions. Topics up for discussion will include leadership and professional development in the sector, as well as how to improve insight and intelligence in the sector.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital


battle against obesity, with ukactive CEO David Stalker last year suggesting the public health delivery sector represents an £8bn opportunity. Castle View’s acquisition of Weight


Management Centre, for an undisclosed fee, is part of its strategy to achieve significant growth in 2015. As such, the company has also taken over training provider Discovery Learning. According to Everyone Active manag-


ing director David Bibby, the organisation is eager to capitalise on the potential synergy between the business and its new acquisitions. Details: http://lei.sr?a=G9R4g


Olonga was the first black cricketer to play for Zimbabwe “Te quality of the speakers in our work-


shops this year is exceptional,” said Mike Hill, active-net organiser and Leisure-net Solutions MD. “For our keynote session we are introducing something totally new to the sector, which will hopefully make people think differently about how they do business and manage their work/life balance.” Leisure Opportunities, will be media partner for active- net, with CIMSPA and ukactive also supporting. Details: http://lei.sr?a=n5d2D


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2015


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