ukactive Awards Winners Announced As Sector Reunites In Celebration

The best in the business from across the physical activity sector have been honoured this evening (30 June) as the winners of the ukactive Awards 2022 were announced at Birmingham’s ICC.

The awards ceremony took place in person for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic, and saw the sector come back together with a bang, following a day of discussion and learning at the Active Uprising conference.

Parkwood Leisure was the big winner on the night, picking up four awards –the Digital Transformation Award, Regional Club/Centre of the Year for the Midlands region and the coveted National Club/Centre of the Year Award for its Towcester Centre For Leisure facility, and finally the Outstanding Organisation of the Year Award. The organisation was also highly commended in the Business Continuity, Recovery & Success following on from COVID-19 Award.

The Awards, supported by Active IQ, saw Professor Greg Whyte OBE and award-winning PT Laura Hoggins announce the winners of 24 categories in front of more than 900 people. The full list of winners is available below.

In the individual categories, Holly Ainger from Nuffield Health took home the Outstanding Leadership Award; Charmaine Daley from Active Nottingham picked up the Physical Activity Hero Award; and Andy Read, formerly the Head of Safety at Places Leisure, won the inaugural Jan Spaticchia Special Recognition Award for his service to the industry.

Alliance Leisure scooped the Supplier of the Year Award for its commitment to the sector’s ‘Decade of Change’ ambitions, sustainability, decarbonisation and innovation within the sector.

The Swimming Teachers’ Association won the Education Provider of the Year, with the judges praising its investment in the industry, innovative qualifications, and impactful resources which have been accessed widely.

The New Concept, Build, or Design of the Year Award went to GLL for its Britannia Leisure Centre, which the judges said demonstrated real innovation in its design solution and a project delivered passionately and embraced locally, with a clear sense of community ownership, providing outstanding social impact.

A year after winning New Concept, Build, or Design of the Year in 2021’s awards, Serco Leisure’s Ladywood Leisure Centre took home the Diversity and Inclusion Award for its engagement with long-term unemployed people, generating opportunities through the community, and providing SEND sessions during peak hours.

Hotpod Yoga was recognised with the award for Business Continuity, Recovery and Success following on from COVID-19, for its empowered network of franchisees which delivered continuity and growth, with outstanding customer affiliation.

The Marketing Campaign Award went to Your Space (BPL) for its inclusive use of video and photography, depicting people of different ages and ethnicities, and helping to breakdown the stereotypes of the average gym user – creating a truly welcoming brand.

The Active School Hero Award, which is part of a campaign from ukactive and Nike that recognises school staff and providers who inspire children to move more, went to Nula Breen, from St Mary’s Primary School in Draperstown, Northern Ireland. Now in its fourth year, 2022 saw the expansion of the award to the whole of the UK, with two finalists selected from each nation.

This year’s ukactive Awards saw nominations from across the breadth of the sector, with the judges praising the quality and achievements demonstrated by all of the finalists – the full list is available here.

Each entrant underwent a rigorous independent assessment which was delivered by our process partner, ProInsight, and designed to select the best in each category from hundreds of entrants, as well as to provide valuable feedback from the judges to help improve but also to promote success.

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “This year’s finalists and winners deserve to be recognised as an inspiration to the sector but also to the whole nation.

“Congratulations to everyone who took part for showcasing the undeniable resilience, dedication and creativity that will lead our sector over the coming years. 

“The ukactive Awards generate so much energy and positivity within our sector, as well as a healthy dose of competition.

“Thank you to each and every individual and organisation for your unrelenting commitment and passion behind our mission to get more people, more active, more often.”

Jenny Patrickson, Managing Director at Active IQ, said: “It was wonderful to see the room full of people celebrating the achievements of our industry together once again.

“There was a real sense of joy and optimism as the fantastic work of individuals, teams and organisations was recognised, especially considering this year’s finalists and winners had made such a positive impact during the second half of the pandemic.

“We were left in no doubt that the physical activity sector is brimming with talent and commitment, as showcased by this year’s ukactive Awards.”

The ukactive Awards 2022 Winners