Warrington leisure centres awarded for supporting disabled people
Five of Warrington’s wellbeing centres and neighbourhood hubs have been awarded accreditation for the work they do to help disabled people take part in sport.
Orford Jubilee and Woolston Neighbourhood Hubs, Broomfields and Great Sankey Leisure Centres and Birchwood Tennis & Leisure Complex have all been accredited with the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) Mark from the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS).
The centres, all of which are run by LiveWire, had to demonstrate that they provide accessible and inclusive environments and meet the customer service needs of disabled people.
They were assessed on their accessibility of facilities and marketing materials, staff training, fitness equipment and sports development.
The accreditation comes after LiveWire managed to secure almost £50,000 in funding from Sporta last year to improve their facilities and services for disabled people in Warrington.
LiveWire also currently work in partnership with Warrington Disability Partnership and My Guide Service to ensure their facilities are easily accessible.
Emma Hutchinson, managing director of LiveWire, said:
"We are so proud to have achieved the IFI Mark accreditation for not just one but five of our facilities. This achievement is testament to the dedication of our staff who have worked hard to ensure that the services we provide are accessible to all.”
Chris Ratcliffe, director of development at English Federation of Disability Sport, said
“EFDS offer their congratulations to LiveWire on achieving IFI Mark accreditations for their five centres. According to Sport England’s Active People survey, four out of five disabled people take little or no exercise.
“It is therefore important that leisure providers take a proactive approach to break down barriers and work alongside local community groups and organisations to improve the services on offer to disabled customers.
“LiveWire are to be praised for the work they have done to achieve the IFI Mark awards and their ongoing commitment to inclusion.”
