Colburn Sports Centre

Since taking over the Colburn Leisure Centre in February 2023, we have registered as a new organisation called a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) and rebranded the centre as Colburn Community Sports Centre. We are run by 12 trustees, each of whom has been allocated a role within the centre. Initially, when we took over the centre, it was in a state of disrepair. However, we have made significant progress in bringing it back up to scratch, although there is still work to be done. Our focus was primarily on three main areas of the centre: gym space, field space, and building improvements.

We are delighted to announce that after just six months, we now have a brand new weights room in the gym. The floors have been screeded and relayed with anti-microbial gym tech flooring, which was made possible through a generous donation from Hudspeth Flooring. The trustees and the Fijian community helped with the hard preparation work. Additionally, we have added new equipment and replaced all the malfunctioning parts on the old equipment.

The field space, which was predominantly empty aside from occasional use by a local league, is now being utilised by a local academy called Richmondshire Pro Player. They have transformed the use of the field and brought football back to Colburn as we had promised. Furthermore, they have allocated a significant number of free spaces for kids from Colburn at their events, such as the summer camp.

We have also created two new rooms within the centre. The Colburn Community Boxing Gym, overseen by two trustees, is staffed by serving army personnel who volunteer their free time to teach local kids and adults. This boxing gym has reached 95% capacity and is thriving. Classes are held two nights a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with junior sessions from 6 to 7 pm and adult sessions from 7 to 8 pm.

Moreover, we have added a sensory room for both kids and adults with special educational needs or additional needs. While the opening of this room has been slightly delayed, it will serve the whole of Richmondshire in a positive and inclusive manner.

Thanks to the support of SIGNAL Telecom, we now have free Wi Fi in the building. This generous gift allows us to provide free guest Wi Fi and use all of our communication systems without worrying about maintenance. In our studio, we have introduced a couple of new HIIT classes, and a self-defence class will be launching soon, which will be free for the first month.

Inside the centre, we have added a pool table, vending machines, a hot drinks machine, and free water fountains that are accessible to all. This year, we organised a successful summer fun day, thanks to the efforts of two trustees, and we plan to make it even bigger next year.

Looking ahead, our aspirations are centred around how we can further build upon the foundations we have established over the past six months. 

We update our social media regularly, so please follow us on Facebook.com/ColburnCommunitySportsCentre to stay updated with our activities and future plans.