The first ever Community Leisure UK Awards will be held at The Lowry hotel in Manchester on 22 May 2019.

Previously run under the Sporta Awards banner, the awards have been rebranded following the renaming of Sporta – the association of leisure trusts – as Community Leisure UK.

Launched in 2016, the awards recognise the achievements of charities and social enterprises in public leisure and culture.

The awards are open to all Community Leisure UK members and will be judged by a panel of leisure experts. The panel will be chaired by Steve Chaytor (former CEO of Tees Active) and also features Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA; Brian Leonard, former CEO of Community Leisure UK; and Jim Moyes, former CEO for Live Active Leisure.

Award categories this year will celebrate a range of achievements – from volunteering, innovation and workforce development to community impacts achieved through physical activity.

The event will be hosted by journalist and presenter Hayley McQueen.

"Following a year of significant change for the association, this year’s ceremony will further promote the unique and distinctive nature of leisure and culture trusts, and the broad capabilities of the trust model," said Cate Atwater, CEO of Community Leisure UK.

To find out more about the awards, click here for the Community Leisure UK website