Leisure trust Edinburgh Leisure, which manages sport and leisure facilities on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, delivers an economic return of nearly 3.5 times its funding level, according to an independent report released on 26 June 2012.

The report, produced by Baker Tillly, reveals that Edinburgh Leisure delivers a 'Social Return on Investment' (SROI) of at least £32.5m from an investment of around £9 m.

The SROI methodology estimates the economic impact of outcomes resulting from specific investments. In the case of Edinburgh Leisure, investing in the provision of good quality, accessible and affordable leisure services results in a more active and healthy population who, in turn, require far less medical interventions and fewer days off work.

Among the key findings were that healthcare costs avoided through Edinburgh Leisure's activities totalled £25.5m, while memberships and leisure cards support business by improving sickness absence costs to the value of £5.2 m.

Meanwhile, the Healthy Active Minds programme (funded by the NHS) working with adults suffering mild to moderate mental health issues delivers annual benefits of over £2m per annum.

Edinburgh Leisure Chief Executive John Comiskey said: "This report allows us to start moving beyond measuring what we do to an evaluation of the impact of our work from the point of view of the people who benefit directly from it.

"Working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council we can use the findings of this study to not only demonstrate the value of current investments but also better target future investments in physical activity provision."