Leisure operator DC Leisure has received accreditation from the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM) for being the first leisure contractor to introduce the institute’s Active programme.

DC Leisure adopted Active – ILAM’s health and physical activity programme – across its 118 UK sites in spring 2005 and has since been working towards achieving the Active award.

The initiative aims to assist and acknowledge organisations involved with physical activity. In order to achieve the accreditation, operators must demonstrate a commitment to the promotion of healthy living by underpinning local health priorities and targets, as well as offering a programme of safe and diverse activity options.

Organisations must also ensure the provision of a healthy workplace for staff and an employee development scheme that enables participation in the local health agenda.

Richard Millard, client relations and sports development director for DC Leisure, said: “By wholly embracing the Active scheme we can help enable local authorities to fulfill their role in increasing physical activity and improving health within their communities.”

Active is a Sport England-backed programme, which was launched in 2004 with the support of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, SkillsActive, Sports Council Northern Ireland, the Sports Council for Wales and the Register of Exercise Professionals.

The scheme is managed for ILAM by Quality Leisure Management (QLM).

Photograph: from left to right, QLM’s Paul Cluett presents Steve Philpott, chief executive of DC Leisure, and Richard Millard, client relations director, with the ILAM Active Award