BPL Newsletter – Summer 2025

Welcome to your summer BPL newsletter where we round up all the latest news and happenings across the organisation!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been busy welcoming new team members, celebrating some milestones with long-serving staff and taking part in lots of local events to raise funds and awareness for many causes we care about.

We’ve also given away holidays to four lucky Your Space members who were the winners of our big summer competition!

Read on to find out how we’re helping our communities feel good!

Good for Employees

Congratulations to our Facility Manager Rob Brooks who has completed over 30 years of service!

Thank you Rob – and well done on reaching this amazing milestone!

A warm welcome to all our new starters who completed their inductions over the past few weeks.

These include Brandon, who has joined the Metrodome as a leisure attendant; Ffion, Emilee and Hannah who have started fitness and front of house roles at Your Space Pontefract and Jacqui, who has made the leap from Your Space member to becoming a fitness instructor and joined the team at Your Space Hoyland.

Our Aquatics Development Officer Joanne has celebrated 35 years of working at Retford Leisure Centre.

Joanne started swimming for Retford Swimming Club and then went on to be a lifeguard, swimming teacher and lifesaving teacher at Retford before starting her current role in 2018.

Thank you Joanne for all your hard work over the years!

Good for Customers

Congratulations to our ‘win a summer holiday campaign’ winners – Nic, Michael, Mark and Kelly!

Throughout June, we gave away holidays to four Your Space members, who scanned QR codes placed at our sites to gain entry into a prize draw.

Our lucky winners will now enjoy trips to Ibiza, Turkey, Centre Parcs and Budapest.

Olympic Gold Medallist and South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner Ed Clancy OBE saw first hand the incredible work being done to promote inclusive cycling when he attended a Wheels for All session at Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre.

Wheels for All sessions are designed to empower individuals of all ages and abilities to experience the joy of cycling using specially adapted bikes.

A big thank you to Ed for your support and for coming along to meet our amazing participants.

We’re proud to support professional squash player Asia Harris through our FANS scheme for talented athletes.

Asia, who is ranked number 72 in the world, is a member at Your Space Pontefract and attends the gym and classes several times a week.

She said she enjoys the club’s clean, friendly environment and welcoming staff.

We’re hosting a range of swimming crash courses and fun activities in our pools over the summer holidays.

Check out our social media pages for details of what’s coming up over the next few weeks.

Great Delivery

We’re thrilled to have achieved an 85 per cent Leading in Sustainability score – the highest score to date achieved by any organisation – emphasising our commitment to minimising our impact on the environment.

Through support from Net Zero Barnsley, we received a Sustainability Scorecard from Profit Impact B Corp to help us understand our progress towards developing a culture of sustainability.

BPL has been honoured with the NCA Young Carer Friendly Award by the Nottinghamshire Carers Association.

The award celebrates our dedication to creating a supportive environment for young carers, ensuring they are identified and receive the assistance they need.

We’re looking for passionate, strategic thinkers to join our board as trustees and help shape the future of our charitable trust.

If you have experience in business, finance, law, marketing or community development and want to make a real difference in local health and wellbeing, we would love to hear from you.

To find out more or apply, email headoffice@bpl.org.uk

Good for All

We had a great day at the Barnsley 10k where Your Space was proud to be the headline sponsor.

Over 45 members of staff came together to take part in this fantastic community event.

The feel good factor was sky high and we can’t wait to do it all again next year!

Our brand new Derek the Dolphin mascot made his debut as 100 years of Langold village was celebrated with a family centenary walk.

A huge thank you to our staff from Worksop Leisure centre who were also on hand to offer valuable water safety advice at the event.

We were proud to host the Be Well @ Work 5-a-side tournament at Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre.

It was great to see so many local businesses getting involved once again this year.

A big shout out to Your Space Bircotes who raised £310 for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) from their yummy bake sale.

A big thank you to everyone who helped with organising and donating homemade treats.

BPL’s Luke Walker, Mark Goodhead and Anne Nixon laced up their boots to tackle a 31k charity walk.

Well done to them and everyone taking part who raised vital funds for Barnsley Hospice.

Metrodome swim teacher Rob and his daughter Isabelle embarked on the epic Great North Swim in Keswick to raise money for Barnsley Hospital’s paediatric unit.

Since 2013, Rob has raised £14,000 for charity – an amazing achievement!

Your Space Hoyland are pleased to sponsor Wombwell Town Football Club’s Under 11s red team.

Best of luck to the team going forward!

A team of staff and members from Your Space Hoyland had a fantastic day at a charity Dragonboat race at Manvers Lake.

They reached the semi final of the event and raised an incredible £2,548 for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre recently hosted the UUKMA Yorkshire and Humber Sports Meet.

The event was opened by the Mayor and Mayoress of Barnsley and saw teams from across the region come together to celebrate sport.

Well done to Your Space Bircotes fitness instructor Jennie and friends who took part in the York 5k Race for Life.

They raised over £2,000 for Cancer Research UK.

A great time was had by everyone taking part in the Yorkshire Kurling Pairs Championship at Your Space Hoyland.

The event was opened by the Deputy Mayor and proudly sponsored by BPL.

The winners on the day were Barnsley Brigands with a team of Stephen and Frank.