Delivering £487,950 in social value in 2025 – the equivalent of £260 per person, surpassing the national average of £230 – Warsop Health Hub is proving that well-designed community leisure can have a measurable and transformative impact.
The £9.1 million facility in North Nottinghamshire was delivered by Alliance Leisure on behalf of Mansfield District Council to address deep-rooted health inequalities in a community of around 12,000 residents. In Warsop, 25 per cent of people live with a limiting long-term illness, life expectancy for men is seven years below the national average, and 64 per cent of residents live in health deprivation hotspots. The closure of Meden Sports Centre in 2018 left a clear gap in provision.
Rather than simply replacing a leisure centre, the ambition was to create something more inclusive and community-led. Developed using Sport England’s Leisure Local concept, Warsop Health Hub combines physical activity, wellbeing services and social spaces in one location.
The facility includes a 15m, four-lane swimming pool, gym, sports hall, community kitchen, café, IT suite, and flexible spaces for health and social programmes. Accessibility is central, with step-free access, inclusive changing facilities, and a pool with hoist and pool pod.
The impact has been immediate. Within eight weeks, 627 memberships were sold against a target of 160. Between April 2025 and March 2026, the hub recorded nearly 96,000 gym visits, more than 19,000 class attendances and more than 36,000 swimming-related visits.
Health outcomes are improving. Year 6 swimming attainment has doubled from 40 per cent to 80 per cent, while programmes such as ‘Small Steps to Feeling Great’ report benefits including weight loss, reduced blood pressure, improved mental wellbeing and stronger social connections.
The hub also plays a vital social role. Partnerships with organisations including Vibrant Warsop and Active Notts support activities ranging from walking football to health sessions and holiday programmes for children with special educational needs, helping embed the hub in daily community life.
Employment and skills development further strengthen its impact. Seventy-five per cent of staff live in Warsop, with the remainder from the wider Mansfield district. Training initiatives have equipped residents with qualifications in areas such as gym instruction, first aid and exercise delivery, building local capacity and opportunity.
Delivered ahead of schedule and within budget, the hub is designed for long-term sustainability. As an all-electric facility with energy-efficient systems, it reduces carbon emissions and operating costs while remaining accessible.
The project has gained national recognition, winning Build, Design or Refurbishment of the Year at the ukactive Awards 2025. However, its real success lies in its impact on people.
For residents such as Janice and Betty, the hub has become a lifeline. The life-long Warsop neighbours, who both lost their husbands at a young age, now attend four to five times a week.
“It keeps your body going, but it’s the social part as well. If you can’t go one week, it’s surprising how you miss it,” says Betty, 87.
“My blood pressure had been really high since my husband died, but I went about a month ago and it had gone right down,” adds Janice, 83.
Stories such as these bring the headline statistic to life: £260 of social value per person reflects real improvements in health, confidence and connection.
Warsop Health Hub shows how community-focused facilities can deliver lasting change, turning a single building into a catalyst for healthier, more connected lives.
- Find out more about what Alliance Leisure do here.