 |
Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust celebrate the opening of Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion
05 Jun 2026
Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust are delighted to announce the official opening of Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion, a brand-new community wellbeing and sports facility designed to support healthier, more active lifestyles across the local area, for residents of Ebbsfleet and neighbouring towns.
The centre officially opened its doors on 1 June 2026 and will be operated by one of the UK’s leading charitable not-for-profit leisure trusts - Freedom Leisure, on behalf of Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust. The new facility provides high-quality wellbeing and sporting amenities for residents of all ages, creating a welcoming space for fitness, recreation and community activities and events.
To mark the opening, Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust were joined by representatives from Freedom Leisure to celebrate the launch of the partnership and their shared commitment to delivering this new community leisure facility. The day focused on working with the local community, including an activity morning for pupils from Ebbsfleet Green Primary School, who took part in a football session led by Ebbsfleet United.
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) worked alongside Redrow, Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust and Freedom Leisure to support delivery of the Pavilion within the wider Weldon neighbourhood. The £13 million investment by EDC has helped enhance community facilities across the Weldon neighbourhood, including the Wellbeing Pavilion, creating high-quality spaces for sport, health and wellbeing for local residents.
Sara Waller, CEO of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation said: “Ebbsfleet is already a growing and established community, and the priority is making sure that growth delivers real value in people’s everyday lives. The opening of the Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion is a clear example of that in practice. This is a space created for local residents and those living in neighbouring towns where people can come together, stay active and feel connected.Facilities like this matter because they turn new neighbourhoods into places where people can genuinely live well. That is what long-term placemaking is about, and it is what we are committed to delivering across Ebbsfleet.”
Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure CEO who presided over the opening said; "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust to bring Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion to the heart of this growing community. At Freedom Leisure, we are passionate about creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be active, improve their wellbeing and connect with others. This fantastic new facility provides a welcoming space where residents, schools, clubs and community groups can come together and we look forward to supporting the health and wellbeing of the Ebbsfleet community for many years to come."
Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion offers a state-of-the-art 3G pitch, alongside a modern gym and studio, netball and tennis courts and a versatile community hall, that will significantly enhance opportunities for grassroots sport, physical activity and wellbeing initiatives within the growing Ebbsfleet Garden City community.
The opening of the Pavilion reflects a collaboration between organisations to invest in facilities that bring people together, promote wellbeing and support vibrant, connected communities.
Freedom Leisure looks forward to welcoming local residents, clubs, schools and community groups to enjoy the new facilities in the months and years ahead.
back
|
| Latest member news |
 |
|
Mytime Active helps decrease loneliness in the London Borough of Bromley by more than two thirds
To mark Loneliness Awareness Week (15-21 June) Mytime Active has released figures
from its community outreach projects, showing its initiatives increase contact with
other people and decrease both isolation and loneliness in its local communities by
69%.
read more...
Freedom Leisure awarded two-year contract to operate leisure centres in Somerset
Somerset Council is awarding an interim two-year contract to operate leisure
centres in the East of Somerset – the Mendip area – after the previous operator,
Fusion Lifestyle, went into administration.
read more...
Residents praise BH Live for accessible and inclusive fitness
Customers who use the Wellness Hub at BH Live Active Pelhams in Kinson have
recently praised the facility for helping them to improve mobility, confidence, and
enjoy exercise in a welcoming environment.
read more...
Newport Live announces retirement of Chairman and Founding Trustee Kevin Ward
Newport Live has announced that its chairman and founding trustee, Kevin Ward, has
retired from the board following more than a decade of dedicated voluntary service.
read more...
Huge solar savings for Freedom Leisure
Freedom Leisure manage some 130 leisure centres across England and Wales and
together they clock up about 23 million visits each year. To meet their net zero
targets, they’ve been investing in on site solar PV, using all the energy they
produce and, in some cases, utilising batteries to store excess.
read more...
|
|
3,234 talented athletes benefit from GLL Sport Foundation’s largest ever awards
Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL has announced a record-
breaking 3234 athletes from across the UK will benefit from the 2026 intake of its
GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – the largest independent athlete award programme in the
UK.
read more...
BH Live boosts confidence, fitness and wellbeing with new menopause classes
BH Live’s health and wellbeing team is celebrating the successful launch of its
Rise and Shine programme at Bournemouth’s flagship sports and leisure centre, BH
Live Active Littledown.
read more...
New community partnership to expand youth and wellbeing support in Newmarket
Abbeycroft has entered a new partnership with the Newmarket Charitable Foundation
and has now taken on the operation and day-to-day running of The Hub Newmarket,
based at The Severals Pavilion.
read more...
Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust celebrate the opening of Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion
Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust are delighted to announce the
official opening of Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion, a brand-new community wellbeing and
sports facility designed to support healthier, more active lifestyles across the
local area, for residents of Ebbsfleet and neighbouring towns.
read more...
Sport Aberdeen hail re-opening of new ‘energy-efficient’ pool
Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council have confirmed that the newly refurbished
Bucksburn Swimming Pool will reopen to the public later this month.
read more...
|
| Business partner news |
|
|
|
|
05 Jun 2026
Nuffield Health says it will appeal after losing at employment tribunal
Nuffield Health has told HCM that it takes its responsibilities towards its colleagues seriously
and is committed to meeting all legal obligations after news of a tribunal has made national
headlines.
read more...
03 Jun 2026
New launch: Blade JNRZ offers a safe way for young people to strength train
Speedflex has launched a strength training programme for 11 to 16-year-olds, to make it safer,
more inclusive and more engaging.
read more...
01 Jun 2026
Tewinbury Farm Hotel launches fitness and wellbeing offering
Tewinbury Farm Hotel in Hertfordshire, UK is expanding its premium leisure proposition with
the launch of Farm Club, on 15 June.
read more...
29 May 2026
PureGym tackles doomscrolling with joy strolling
PureGym is encouraging people to step away from their screens and go for a walk, in a new initiative timed
to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month.
read more...
|
|
29 May 2026
Small lifestyle changes yield huge benefits for heart health, says research
Small improvements to sleep, diet quality, and physical activity, made in combination lead to a
significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes,
according to new research.
read more...
27 May 2026
Strava responds to the boom in strength training with app overhaul
Active people app, Strava, has overhauled its strength training experience, allowing gym-goers
to automatically log and share their lifts from their wearables.
read more...
27 May 2026
Everlast Gyms continues elevation strategy with York relaunch
Everlast Gyms' York site has reopened following a refurbishment to bring it up to the
company’s elevated gyms status.
read more...
13 May 2026
Virgin Active to debut its social wellness club concept in London
Virgin Active is set to open its first social wellness club in London, with a relaunch of its Mayfair
site in July.
read more...
|
|
|
|
| General Meetings |
 |
|
AGM: Glasgow
25 November 2026
|
| Regional Meetings |
|
|
North Region
11 June 2026
|
Scotland
23 June 2026
|
South East
25 June 2026
|
Wales
30 June 2026
|
| Special Interest Groups |
|
|
iTrent
8 June 2026
|
Libraries and Culture
24 June 2026
|
Single Sites
2 July 2026
|
|
For more information about Special Interest Group and regional / national members meetings, please contact [email protected]
|
|
