Christmas is traditionally a joyous occasion but for those who have lost a loved one it can be a particularly poignant time. Tree of Light is a sensitive and meaningful way for friends and family to gather together and celebrate the life of a loved one.
Whatever the circumstances of your loss, Tree of Light is open to you. Many people find that sponsoring a light in memory of a loved one and making a dedication is a positive way to remember someone. All those being remembered have their names written in our Book of Remembrance which is displayed at K2 and afterwards at St Catherine’s Hospice.
Our main Tree of Light service takes place at the K2 leisure centre in Crawley, Sunday 5th December, 4pm. It’s a simple service, which includes carols, readings and most importantly, an opportunity to pause, reflect and remember the life of someone special to you. There will also be smaller services taking place in local churches across our referral area of Mid Sussex and East Surrey. To find out more please call 01293 447364 or visit www.stch.org.uk/treeoflight
Crawley Borough Council staff worked with local young people to organise a six-a-side football tournament to raise more than £4,000 for Pakistan’s flood victims.
The tournament, at K2 Crawley, was supported by 12 teams and played in front of large crowds. Stalls selling Islamic calligraphy, art paintings and Henna painting added to the fundraising and a total of £4,150 has now been raised.
K2 Crawley provided the conference rooms and all football pitches throughout the day for free and Crawley Borough Council provided posters and support throughout the event.
There are now 20 million people affected by the floods in Pakistan and survivors face the added threat of deadly waterborne diseases.
So far Disaster Emergency Committee members have helped nearly three million people but much more money and resources are required to reach the millions more.
The winning team, Jungaleez, with the General Secretary of the Islamic Centre and Masjid (Langley Green) and Henry Smith MP. Back row, (l-r): Farakh Jamal (General Sec), Jamal Mirza, Mumtaz Khattab, Abid Rehman, Mohammad Raja. Front row: Suhaib Rehman, MP Henry Smith, Shahid Rehman.
On Saturday 16th October Gloves On Sport held their third promotion at K2, held in association with Crawley Happy Times.
It was our first time to a real boxing event so we were quite nervous. We then interviewed all the boxers in one big changing room, which made us even more nervous
It was a wonderful evening and we would like to thank everyone involved with the Gloves On Sport organisation for their kind and welcoming hospitality.
Below are the interviews before the event and then the winners after the fight, but we won’t spoil it by telling you who wins their fight out of all interviewed
Order of interviews: - Ross Payne from Crawley & Michael Alldis
Ben Jones from Crawley
Nicky Jenman from Brighton
Dan Woodgate from Brighton
Gary Ward is Michale’s right hand man
Freedom Leisure is delighted to announce that it’s Friday Night Project at K2 Crawley will run for another year thanks to funding from Crawley Borough Council and the Sussex Police Authority. Due to the success of the project, not-for-profit leisure trust, Freedom Leisure will receive a total of £8,000 towards running the award-winning scheme. Since the project started, police have reported a drop of 15% in youth related, anti-social behaviour on a Friday night
The project initially began in October 2009 and has attracted attendance of over 4,000 young people throughout the year. In June 2010 the project picked up an award for best “Innovative Youth Project” at the annual Crawley South West Youth Awards 2010 (CSWA). The scheme runs every Friday between 8.00pm – 10.00pm, offering young people between the ages of 11-19 the chance to participate in subsidised sports activities including basketball, football, climbing, trampolining and streetdance. The sessions cost just £2 per person for the whole evening.
Dave Downey, Freedom Leisure’s Community Sport Development Officer at K2 Crawley, who devised the project in consultation with young people and community groups, said ‘The Friday Night Project has been a great success. When I was planning the Project, I anticipated attracting 50 young people a week, but attendances have averaged 100 in the first year, with some weeks reaching nearly 150!’.
‘It’s been particularly encouraging to see almost half of the participants attending from Crawley’s neighbourhood improvement areas of Broadfield, Bewbush and Langley Green, whilst over 400 young people from ethnic minority backgrounds have also taken part. It’s been a great example of how community groups and agencies can work in partnership to have a positive impact on young people’s lives’.
The success of the initiative has not gone un-noticed and Wealden District Council has already shown interest in running their own youth project. Officers from Wealden District Council visited the project last week to see it in action and discuss the impact of the project in the local community.
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture at Crawley Borough Council, said: ‘The Friday Night Project has been a huge success in its first year. We are happy to support the youngsters of the town by funding the project for a second year. I hope it continues to go from strength to strength.’
To celebrate the success of the project and to mark its first anniversary a special Halloween Night will be held on Friday 29th October. There will be prizes for the best Halloween fancy dress, a disco and prizes awarded for sporting and dance challenges.
To find out more about the K2 Crawley Friday Night Project and the activities on offer please call K2 Crawley on 01293 585 300 or visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk
K2 Crawley athlete returns from Commonwealth Fencing Championships with Bronze and Gold medals.
Dudley Tredger has returned from the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Melbourne clutching a joint Bronze and an England Team Gold medal. Dudley, who trains with the Crawley Sword Club at Freedom Leisure’s K2 Crawley fought off fierce opponents from Scotland, England, New Zealand, Singapore and Wales to win his joint Bronze medal, and the England Team beat favourites India, to bring home the team Gold.
Since the age of 12 Dudley Tredger has been training with the Crawley Sword Club, who meet weekly at Freedom Leisure’s K2 Crawley. He returns for the second time from the Championships with two more medals, improving on his previous Bronze and Silver winnings.
‘The Commonwealth Fencing Championships are always exciting.’ Dudley said ‘The challenge of competing against the best Fencers in the world means you have to be at your very best. I am thrilled with the results and pleased that all the training paid off. My weekly training sessions at K2 Crawley with the Crawley Sword Club continually improve my skill level and I look forward to returning and to the next competition’.
Chris Lovelock, K2 Crawley centre manager commented, ‘We are absolutely delighted for Dudley and the Crawley Sword Club. It is such a fantastic achievement! Freedom Leisure prides itself on providing state-of-the-art facilities and this goes to prove that given the right environment and training, local athletes can achieve great things.”
For more information on the K2 Crawley, the facilities available and regular club activities please visit
Crawley Borough Council, Freedom Leisure and Crawley Town FC are supporting community members to organise a charity six-a-side football tournament on Sunday October 17, raising funds for Pakistan’s flood victims.
The tournament, at K2 Crawley, will also see stalls set up selling goods to raise more money for the good cause.
There are now 20 million people affected by the floods in Pakistan and survivors face the added threat of deadly waterborne diseases.
So far Disaster Emergency Committee members have helped nearly three million people but much more money and resources are required to reach the millions more.
If you want to take part in the tournament call Adam Welton, Youth and Community Outreach Officer, on 01293 438708 or email adam.welton@crawley.gov.uk or Haroon Khalil on 07878 668013.
Starting and finishing on the running track at K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley before heading in to Tilgate Forest, this popular 10k race is suitable for all level of runners and will raise much needed funds for St Catherine’s Hospice, which is a charity dedicated to providing specialised end of life care, free of charge, to people, their families, friends and carers from Crawley, Horsham, Mid-Sussex and East Surrey. This year we are encouraging participants to wear a moustache and raise extra funds for your local hospice.
The race will start at 10.30am on the running track at K2 in Crawley.
Advance entries (up until 01.10.10): UKA Club runner £13; Non club runner £15.
Some of the best netball players in the world will be sharpening their skills in the county from September 18 – 28.
The Barbados netball squad will be using the training facilities at K2 Crawley for their final preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month.
Everyone is invited to watch them in action as they compete in two warm-up games:
• Barbados Vs England Excel Squad at The Triangle, Burgess Hill on Friday September 24. Game starts at 6.30pm. Doors open at 5.30pm.
• Barbados Vs Team Bath Netball Club at K2 Crawley on Sunday September 26. Game starts at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm.
Entry to watch both games is free, and under 16’s must be accompanied by a supervising adult. To ensure your place in the crowd, e-mail k2enquiries@freedom-leisure.co.uk
You will be sent a printable voucher that guarantees entry for anyone arriving at the venue more than 30 minutes before the start of the game. All spectators are encouraged to use public transport where possible.
The Barbados netball team will also play warm up matches in East Grinstead and London, and will stay at the Arora Hotel Gatwick in Crawley.
Barbados will meet England at the Commonwealth Games in the opening stages of the netball competition. Also in their group are teams from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, The Cook Islands and South Africa.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, Deborah Urquhart, said: “I am looking forward to welcoming the Barbados netball team to West Sussex. Not only will these top class players be able to experience our excellent sporting facilities at Crawley, Burgess Hill and East Grinstead, but also the hospitality and friendship which we in the county extend to all visitors.”
Lenny Walker, Crawley Borough Council’s Member for Leisure and Cultural Services, added: “I’m certain the Bajan netball squad will be impressed with the warm welcome they receive from the people of Crawley.
“We will continue to work closely with the Barbados Olympic Association and other sporting organisations on the Island to maximise the links between the two areas.”
The Bajan national team is currently ranked 11th in the World.
The netball training camp is being organised by Crawley Borough Council in partnership with Freedom Leisure (operators of K2 Crawley and The Triangle), West Sussex County Council, East Grinstead Sports Club, the Arora Hotel Gatwick/Crawley, and England Netball.
To find out more visit www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com
K2 Crawley, which is run by leading not-for-profit leisure trust Freedom Leisure, has been awarded a ‘Provisional Level’ Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) Award. The trust has worked closely with Crawley Wellbeing and Crawley Borough Council to increase the inclusion of disabled people, of all ages, at K2 Crawley. The presentation of the IFI Award verifies that the centre facilities, its staff and the equipment available, offer truly inclusive opportunities.
On a national basis, only 8.8%* of disabled people are regularly physically active and Freedom Leisure and its partners are actively working to encourage more local people with disabilities to participate in sport and exercise. In order for the centre to receive the award, Freedom Leisure has ensured that there is equipment in the gym to allow disabled members to enjoy a work out. There are sufficient and accessible parking bays and toilet and changing facilities.. There are further improvements planned between now and the end of the year, including £12,000 worth of new fitness equipment. To enable as many people as possible to be able to participate in exercise the centre offers a range of pricing options..
Having a disability should not be a barrier to keeping fit and being able to enjoy exercise. With easy disabled access, trained staff and the right equipment, Freedom Leisure aims to make using the gym a trouble-free and a fun experience. Freedom Leisure’s friendly and fully trained staff can help to create exercise programmes that will increase physical activity at a level that suits the individual, they are also there to support, motivate and help people to achieve their personal goals. All this helps make the change to a more physically active lifestyle as easy as possible which can reduce the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and obesity.
Chris Lovelock Centre Manager at K2 Crawley commented, ‘The increased investment in the centre has made a tangible difference to our disabled customers’ experience here at K2 Crawley. It is important to the whole Freedom Leisure team that we provide accessible facilities and a wide variety of activities for all members of the local community. These improvements and those set for the future are great steps forward in providing more fitness activities for all who wish to use K2 Crawley.’
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services at Crawley Borough Council, said: “This is great news for Freedom Leisure, Crawley Wellbeing and the council. We try very hard to make our services accessible to all and K2 Crawley is no exception. The fact that it is the only approved 2012 Paralympic training camp in Sussex proves this.”
For more information on the new autumn timetable please
Freedom Leisure, managers of the K2 Crawley leisure centre, will take over the reins of the new Bewbush Centre café and health and fitness gym when they open in November.
Crawley Borough Council has chosen Freedom Leisure, a not-for-profit body, to let the building. The company has a wealth of experience running similar facilities across the south east.
The café will offer a range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and light meals.
It will offer a flexible approach to opening hours to make sure as many people as possible can make the most of the café, making it the new hub of the neighbourhood.
Matt Hunt, Area Manager for the company, said: “Freedom Leisure is delighted to be managing the Bewbush Centre café. We expect it to be the heart of the centre when it opens providing a social hub for the local community.”
Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services,
said: “When it opens, the Bewbush Centre will add to the community spirit in Bewbush and the new café will be at the centre of this.
“I sincerely hope it will be used by all of the community and wish Freedom Leisure all the best in running the new café and gym.”
Turn over a new leaf this autumn at K2 Crawley with a new fitness class timetable.
‘Back to School’ means more new fitness classes at K2 Crawley this autumn. The new term is an ideal time to shake up your routine and have fun trying something new. K2 Crawley, run by the leading not-for-profit leisure trust Freedom Leisure, is investing in a new autumn timetable of activities starting from 30th August.
For junior members, aged between 11-18 years old, the already popular Monday evening Junior Spin class is being complemented by a new energetic Junior Circuit Class on Wednesday evenings. Both classes are a great way to boost energy, stay fit and also relieve some of those term time stresses.
Brand new to K2 Crawley on Sundays and Fridays is Zumba. This latest fitness craze, is a hip swivelling combination of African, Caribbean and Latin dance moves and aerobics. It is fun, easy to do and helps to tone and sculpt the body through fast and slow routines. No dancing experience is needed, just lots of energy!
Whether training for a charity run next year or just running for the pure enjoyment, K2 Crawley has a Beginners Run Club which will take place every Tuesday evening at 5:30pm on the athletics track until 31 October.
Now there is a great excuse to get out of the office at lunchtime. Due to customer demand, you can now take a Body Balance class on Friday lunchtimes. This class is incorporates Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi and is a fantastic way to start the weekend.
For more information on the new autumn timetable please
This September Freedom Leisure embraces Exercise4Life
Join the challenge, have fun and get fitter!
This September Freedom Leisure is encouraging local communities to get fit, have fun and participate in this year’s Exercise4Life, a UK wide event, which runs from the 1st – 30th September. Due to its popularity, the event has expanded from last year’s “Swim for Life” challenge, to now include seven sporting challenges; cycling, running, walking, hula hooping, dancing, Nordic walking and swimming. Freedom Leisure is encouraging Exercise4Life participants to complete their run, cycling or swim challenges at their local Freedom Leisure centre.
The main aim of Exercise4Life is to get the UK moving and ultimately improve the nation’s health through exercise. To take part participants just need to sign up at www.exercise4life.org and select their challenges. Each challenge can be tailored i.e. runners, cyclists and swimmers can all choose to cover 1, 5 or 10 miles. Whilst sponsorship is not required to enter, sports enthusiasts can sign up to support the WRIGHT Foundation Research, which carries out continued research into the prevention and improvement of chronic medical conditions through activity and exercise. This includes research into cancer, heart and lung disease. All fundraisers will receive a certificate of achievement, whilst top fund-raisers have the chance to win a prize, such as a luxury weekend break for two to a Marriott Hotel.
Jeff Hart, Managing Director, Freedom Leisure said “We see it as a key priority to support these national health initiatives. Many of our staff have signed up for the challenge and we hope that Freedom Leisure members and non-members alike will make September a month to focus on health and fitness. Not only will this challenge personally benefit participants, but if you sign up to raise money for the WRIGHT Foundation Research we can learn more about how exercise can potentially combat these life limiting diseases”.
Crawley Borough Council has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to restore Worth Park.
The park, formerly known as Milton Mount Gardens, has received a first-round pass of £2,189,000, including £237,000 development funding to help return the area to former glories.
The development funding will be used to detail how Worth Park will be restored and used by more people. This will include detailed drawings of how the park should look in the future and will be finished by next summer.
A first-round pass means that the HLF believes the funding can deliver high quality benefits to park users. It’s an endorsement of outline proposals and having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for almost £2 million.
The next stage for the council will be to develop the project into a bid to restore and improve the park. If we are successful we are likely to find out in December 2011. The three-year project would start soon afterwards.
The bid follows consultation with more than 200 park users over the past few years, which identified a great strength of feeling and affection for the park. Local people value the park as part of their heritage and are very proud of the history of the gardens. The majority of people listed restoration of the Clock Tower, gardens, camellia walk, fountain and lake as their top priorities.
Worth Park covers eight hectares and consists of formal gardens, recreational parkland and a lake area, which is a site of nature conservation interest. It was originally a medieval deer park and formed part of the Forest of Worth, which stretched from Slaugham in the south to Worth in the north. The park hides the remnants of a high status late Victorian pleasure garden and landscape, constructed by James Pulham and Son.
Energy use at K2 Crawley has plummeted over the last two years making it a greener place to get fit and have fun.
This month the state-of-the-art leisure centre received a good C rating for energy use compared with its poor G rating in 2008
The good news comes after 18 months of hard work following an energy management plan drawn up by Crawley Borough Council and Freedom Leisure; all the savings will help the council hit its 10:10 target of reducing carbon emissions by 10 per cent in 2010.
Councillor Keith Blake, Cabinet member for Environment, said: “Heating an Olympic sized pool and running an extremely busy gym, along with the masses of other facilities and services on offer, makes saving energy at K2 Crawley a tough task.
“It’s a huge building with a lot of staff so they’ve done tremendously well to make such big savings in energy and also money.”
In 2008/9 K2 Crawley was using enough energy to power 517 homes which fell by 8.1 per cent in 2009/10; it now uses enough energy to power 475 homes (42 houses less) and saves around £16,000 each year.
And 40 per cent of all electricity used and 27 per cent of heat used came from renewable energy.
Some of the measures to bring such significant improvement include fitting infrared sensors in stores and offices to make sure lights go out when the room’s empty; removing unnecessary light fittings; Installing electrical sub-meters highlighting areas of high energy use so they can be reduced; and a lot of raising staff awareness.
There’s still room for improvement; Matt Hunt, Freedom Leisure’s Area Manager for K2 Crawley, said: “We’re looking at future measures to lower our carbon emissions even further. We hope to install a second combined heat and power unit and a device which changes voltage used to what you actually need rather the standard (voltage optimisation device).”
The 10:10 campaign is an international project to encourage as many individuals, businesses and organisations to cut their carbon emissions by 10 per cent in 2010.
West Sussex Buy With Confidence scheme teams up with Which?
THE Buy With Confidence scheme run by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards Service to protect consumers from rogue traders has forged a link with Which?
The UK’s largest consumer group is promoting good businesses and trades people through the development of Which? Local, a recommendation website for Which? subscribers.
Which? Local has agreed with West Sussex Trading Standards Service to list for free all of its Buy With Confidence members on the site.
Peter Evans, County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Although Which? is best known for testing household products, it is also committed to helping people find reliable local businesses that provide an excellent service – just like our Buy With Confidence members.
“This is an excellent opportunity for our Buy With Confidence members to further promote their business because it highlights how highly regarded our members are.
“It also underlines the effectiveness of the vetting procedures our Trading Standards Service has in place to reassure customers seeking a business they can trust.
“This means being featured on Which? Local adds further value to joining our Buy With Confidence register and being a trader or business that can reassure potential customers they’ve been approved by West Sussex Trading Standards.”
EDF Energy has stepped in to help two men realise their dream of completing a 10,000-mile overland trip to Mongolia.
Paul Diviney, a project co-ordinator with EDF Energy Networks in Crawley, and his friend Matthew Haycock will set off later this summer on a journey that will take them on the road trip of a lifetime, through more than 25 countries all the way to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
Paul Diviney and Matthew Haycock with the Ford Ranger four-wheel drive donated by EDF Energy Networks.
The company is providing them with a Ford Ranger four-wheel drive that was no longer needed. Instead of selling it at auction, EDF Energy Networks decided to donate it to the intrepid travellers who will auction it off for charity once they arrive at their destination.
The robust vehicle – one of many used by EDF Energy Network Engineers to battle through last winter’s storms to keep the network running – should help them cope with the challenge of navigating the rough terrain of the roads ahead.
The trip to Mongolia will raise money for charity projects in their destination country. They have already raised more than £1,700 towards their £2,000 target needed for the trip.
Paul, 33, of Chivalry Road, Clapham said: “Neither of us have ever done anything like this before and we think it’s the last chance we have before we become sensible and settle down.
“I’m originally from Australia and Matt’s from New Zealand so we’ve done our fair share of travelling and love that feeling of the open road. We’ll be sharing the driving and allowing ourselves plenty of time to get there so we can see some places on the way.”
Matthew, also 33, of Tranmere Road, Earlsfield, is a physiotherapist – which will come in handy with the aches and pains caused by some of the bumpy roads ahead.
Paul added: “We’re really looking forward to it and EDF Energy has been brilliant. We’re really grateful as having a proper four-wheel drive will make a lot of difference.”
Chris Pascall, head of transport for EDF Energy said: “When we heard about their plans we were delighted to help out with a vehicle. It’s a fantastic challenge for them and all for a really good cause too.”
Once the journey is complete the vehicle will be auctioned off in Mongolia to raise funds for local charities. Paul and Matthew leave on July 10 and expect their trip to take up to six weeks.
A team of 18 volunteers from EDF Energy Network worked alongside Crawley Borough Council officers at the Interfaith Community Garden in West Green Park on Thursday June 17 – Green Britain Day.
Kim Colella, a legal administrative assistant and organiser of the Let’s FACE it! volunteering event from EDF, was pleased to be ‘doing something green for the team’.
She said: “Being a Crawley resident all my life I thought it was time to give something back to the community and what better day to do it on than Green Britain Day! The Interfaith Garden is such a worthwhile project.”
Ruth Growney, Let’s FACE it! coordinator for Crawley Borough Council, said:
“We had a really good day, the weather was brilliant (which always helps) and the teams cleared loads of thistles and weeds from the garden.
“Why is it that the weeds always grow faster than the plants you want?
Seriously though, we really value the work undertaken by volunteers from the business community. They are a real help with projects such as this one.”
On Saturday 20th February Shelley went along to the Running Club at K2 to see Iain Stevenson training in preperation for running three marathons over three consecutive weekends.
Iain Stevenson is preparing to run over 78 miles over three marathons
Who is Iain and why is he doing this?
Iain, 35 from Northgate had never run before, until last year when he ran the London Marathon to raise funds for research into a rare form of cancer. Sadly Iain and his wife lost their young son, Ben to this form of cancer in 2007. Ben was only two when he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. Ben lost his struggle just after his third birthday. Unfortunately there is no funding available for the research into this devastating illness.
(L-R) Graham Eaton (Manager of the Running Club) and Iain Stevenson
What is Neuroblastoma?
Fewer than 100 children are diagnosed each year with neuroblastoma in the UK. Most children who get this cancer are younger than five years old. Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumour in childhood and makes up 8% of the total number of children’s cancers.
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of specialised nerve cells, called neural crest cells. These cells are involved in the development of the nervous system and other tissues.
Neuroblastoma can occur anywhere in the body, but it most often occurs in one of the adrenal glands in the abdomen (tummy). The adrenal glands are specialised glands which are found above the kidneys. They release hormones to maintain blood pressure, and enable us to respond to stress.
In some children, the neuroblastoma can occur in nerve tissue alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis.
Source: – Macmillan
Iain (far left) in training at the Running Club at K2
What Iain has already accomplished and his future goals
Iain raised £5,500 by running the London marathon last year. His goal is to beat that this year by running marathons in Paris, Brighton and London on three consecutive weekends. This is a massive feat for anyone, especially someone who before last year had never run, let alone run a marathon. Iain told us a friend of his ran the London marathon to raise awareness on their behalf and when he went to support his friend and saw him running, he had an overwhelming urge to get involved, feeling it would be a great way to raise awareness and funds for such a worthy cause. Iain’s first marathon will be in Paris on the 11th April.
We hope the weather is this nice on all the marathon dates
We would like to wish Iain all the best and will keep you up-to-date with his progress. If you would like to support Iain, why not attend and cheer him on. Alternatively you can show your support by donating here.
VIDEO
Are you running any marathons? Please feel free to comment below.
