Freedom Leisure, one of the UK’s leading charitable and not-for-profit leisure trusts that manages 29 leisure centres across Wales, is delighted to announce it has won two major awards at the Swim Wales Awards 2026.
For the second year running, Freedom Leisure has been named Learn to Swim Provider of the Year and it also received the inaugural Community, Health and Sustainability Impact Award at a ceremony held in Cardiff at the weekend.
These awards, organised by Swim Wales, the National Governing Body for aquatics in Wales, celebrate individuals, groups and organisations that show outstanding commitment, passion and achievement in aquatics.
We are honoured to receive these awards, and I would like to dedicate them to all colleagues who, week in and week out, deliver exceptional swimming lessons and community health projects across our leisure centres throughout Wales.
Ivan Horsfall Turner
Freedom Leisure manages 29 leisure centres across Wales on behalf of Powys, Wrexham and Swansea Councils, and supports more than 12,000 swimmers through the Swim Wales Learn to Swim programme. A highly skilled team of swimming teachers helps both children and adults gain confidence in the water and develop the life-saving skill of swimming.
The Swim Wales awards add to Freedom Leisure’s growing list of national recognition, following its achievement in 2025, when it was also named Pioneering Pool Operator of the Year by Swim England.
We welcome over 800,000 visits to our swimming pools each year and we are proud to have more than 12,000 participants on our Swim Wales Learn to Swim programme. Our strong partnership with Swim Wales helps us deliver a fantastic experience for children and adults, building confidence in the water and supporting safety and enjoyment – especially in coastal areas such as Swansea.
Ivan Horsfall Turner
The Community, Health and Sustainability Impact Award recognises Freedom Leisure’s positive contribution to communities across Wales, helping people live healthier lives through accessible leisure opportunities. It also highlights the organisation’s continued focus on sustainability, including investment in energy efficiency and becoming the first leisure trust to achieve Carbon Literate Organisation accreditation.
We’ve achieved strong results in improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions thanks to long-term commitment and close teamwork. By working closely with our council partners, we’ve delivered more than £1 million worth of energy-saving and low-carbon upgrades across Wales so far, and we’ve secured further funding for 2025/26. This ongoing investment helps cut emissions, improve how efficiently our facilities run, and create more sustainable leisure centres for local communities. This progress isn’t just about investment in buildings and equipment. We’ve also worked hard to build a culture of sustainability across our teams and centres. Carbon Literacy training has given colleagues the skills and confidence to reduce the impact the leisure industry has on climate change. We’re already seeing meaningful change; the actions taken so far are equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of a medium-sized leisure centre with a pool.
Angela Brown
Freedom Leisure Operations Director, Jeremy Rowe, attended the ceremony in Cardiff with colleagues from leisure centres across Wales, showcasing the organisation’s ongoing dedication to swimming, community wellbeing and sustainability.