Shropshire leisure centres offer free entry to service personnel and veterans on Armed Forces Day
News from our partners
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust (SCLT), which operates six leisure centres in the county on behalf of Shropshire Council, will once again be opening its doors for free to all serving and ex-military personnel to commemorate Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27 June.
Supporting our Armed Forces
Taking part are: Whitchurch Swimming & Fitness Centre, Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Bishops Castle Leisure Centre and Market Drayton Swimming & Fitness Centre.
Partnership Manager for SCLT, Rhys Collins said:
“As we have done since 2023, on Armed Forces Day, we will be offering free access to our centres for all current or ex-armed forces employees. There’s no need to pre-book, just turn up at one of our centres with proof of service, such as an ID or veteran’s card.
“To further cement our commitment to a group of people who do so much to support this nation, both home and abroad, I would like to announce that we have received a Silver Award from the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, having achieved the Bronze accreditation in 2023.”
The Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme identifies those employers who have gone above and beyond in their support for the armed forces community.
Ian Phelps, chair of SCLT, said:
‘We are thrilled to have been successful in our nomination for the Defence Employer Recognition Silver Award. This represents three years of hard work by the trust to strengthen our connections with Shropshire’s serving military and ex-military personnel and their families. We look forward to developing our work even further and being a strong advocate locally for our military communities.”
Councillor Gary Groves, Armed Forces Champion for Shropshire Council, said:
“Armed Forces Day is an important opportunity for us all to recognise and thank the men and women who serve, and who have served, our country with such dedication.
“I’m delighted to see Shropshire Community Leisure Trust once again supporting our Armed Forces community by offering free access to its leisure centres across the county. Initiatives like this are a simple but meaningful way of showing our appreciation and ensuring that serving personnel, veterans and their families feel valued within our communities.
“The Trust’s achievement of the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award is also a significant milestone and reflects a strong and ongoing commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community in Shropshire. This is exactly the kind of partnership working we want to see, and I look forward to continuing to build on this positive work together.”
SCLT operates six leisure centres in partnership with Serco Leisure, and on behalf of Shropshire Council. For details of all the trust’s sites, please visit the website: https://www.shropshireleisurecentres.com/
For further information, please contact:
Alan Mitchell – Communications Manager
Alan.mitchell@serco.com
07764 333 639
Notes to editors:
About Shropshire Community Leisure Trust
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust manages the Whitchurch Swimming Centre, Market Drayton Swimming Pool, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village and The Quarry Swimming Pools.
Our vision is the creation and maintenance of a first-class range of healthy leisure and recreational activities and facilities to serve all parts of the communities in the areas we serve.
We work in partnership with the community and all relevant bodies including but not restricted to existing providers of relevant leisure and recreational activities, the Local and Parish Councils, County and Town Councils and potential funding partners. For more information, visit our website: Shropshire Community Leisure Trust
About Serco Leisure
Our vision is to help our customers make more of every day. We run gyms, swimming pools, event venues and National Sports Centres, including Bisham Abbey, Lilleshall and the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont Country Park. For more information about the company, visit its webpage: https://www.serco.com/uk/sector-expertise/citizen-services/leisure-services
