How we've helped Camelford Leisure Centre
Business overview
Camelford Leisure Centre in North Cornwall is a successful example of a community‑run mutual organisation. After facing closure in 2012 due to the withdrawal of Cornwall Council funding, the local community formed an Industrial & Provident Society for Community Benefit (later becoming a Community Benefit Society) to take over operations. Fourteen years later, the centre is thriving, with membership revenue increasing more than five‑fold and participation growing across age groups.
How we helped
How Co-operatives & Mutuals support Communities – Camelford Leisure Centre’s story of growth
A community leisure centre in North Cornwall has grown its membership revenue five-fold since becoming a mutual society.
Camelford Leisure Centre was threatened with closure in 2012 when Cornwall Council withdrew its funding.
The community stepped in and formed an Industrial & Provident Society with Community Benefit – it's registered with Co-operatives UK as a Mutual.
Almost 14 years on, the leisure centre is thriving with people of all ages enjoying the facilities and classes on offer.
Jonathan Holt, chair of the board of directors, said: “When we took over in 2012, our monthly membership income was just over £3000 and its now just over £16,000, which is due to increased numbers of members.”
Building a Mutual
Jonathan describes the process of how a community came together to keep the leisure centre open.
“We worked with Paul Martin from Co-operatives UK, who supported us with a small grant to start developing our structure. We looked through the templates for forming an organisation, and came up with an Industrial & Provident Society with Community Benefit model – this later morphed into a Community Benefit Society.
“A small group of us formed the business plan. Cornwall Council was extremely supportive, and they handed the leisure centre over to us with a dowry for structural improvements. In late 2012, we took over the centre.”
Growth, diversification and a thriving membership
The leisure centre now has more than 800 members. It’s also been able to diversify its income thanks to a Good Growth grant to build a fitness studio, which has opened the centre up to a wider demographic of community users.
Fellow board member Rob Rotchell added: “We live in Cornwall, close to the coast. If this leisure centre closed, children wouldn’t be able to learn to swim. People would need to travel further for their exercise and activities.
“It was really important that we kept this centre accessible to everybody at an affordable price.”
Accessible to all
Inspired by the impact that the leisure centre has had on his own fitness, Rob has gone on to train as an instructor and introduced a new, accessible exercise class aimed at older people. Retro Riders introduces spinning (a cycle class) at a managable pace, powered by retro music.
“When the studio opened, I joined chairobics and did some swimming and my overall fitness improved. I tried a spin class and it was a bit of an eye opener.
“I am the newest and oldest instructor at the leisure centre. I created Retro Riders which is designed for older people or those with health conditions who can take part in lower impact spin classes.”
Reinvesting back into the community
Manager Peter Hamilton-Toohey has been working at Camelford for 10 years “It’s a great place to work. It’s really nice to know that we are a community project and that any profit or surplus is brought back into the leisure centre.”
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| Business name | Camelford Leisure Centre |
|---|---|
| Website | https://camelfordleisurecentre.co.uk/ |
| Contact number | 01840 213188 |
| Contact email | [email protected] |
